Prenatal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation has long-term effects on childhood behavioral and brain responses during performance on an inhibitory task.

Introduction: Offsprings from a prenatal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation trial, in which pregnant women were assigned to placebo or 600mg DHA/day, were followed to determine the effect of prenatal DHA supplementation on the behavior and brain function at 5.5 years (n=81 placebo, n=86 supplemented).Methods: Event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded during a visual task requiring a button press (Go) to frequent target stimuli and response inhibition to the rare stimuli (No-Go). Univariate ANOVAs were used to test differences between group and sex for behavioral measures. ERP differences were tested using a three-way mixed-design multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).Results: There was a significant sex × group interaction for hit rate and errors of omission; there was no difference between males and females in the placebo group, but DHA males outperformed DHA females. Males overall and the placebo group made more errors requiring response inhibition; DHA females were significantly better than placebo females and DHA males. ERP P2 amplitude was larger in the DHA group. A significant N2 amplitude condition effect was observed in females and DHA group males, but not in placebo group males.Discussion: Prenatal DHA supplementation improved inhibitory performance overall, especially for females in the DHA group, possibly accounting for their conservative behavior during Go trials. Development of brain regions responsible for visual processing may be sensitive to maternal DHA status, evidenced by greater P2 amplitude. Males may benefit more from maternal DHA supplementation, indicated by the N2 condition effect seen only in males in the DHA group.

Move more - be happier? physical activity and health-related quality of life in children with congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to determine whether there is an association between objectively assessed physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with CHD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 2017 to January 2021, 343 children with CHD (12.1 ± 3.3 years, 135 girls) provided valid PA data after a 7-day objective PA assessment. PA was evaluated as average daily steps and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) minutes assessed via wearable bracelet Garmin vivofit Jr. These children also completed the KINDL - a 24 Likert-scaled item questionnaires assessing HRQoL in the six dimensions physical well-being, emotional well-being, self-esteem, family, friends and everyday functioning. RESULTS: Daily Steps (r = 0.166, P = .003) and daily MVPA minutes (r = 0.134, P = .017,) were both correlated to total KINDL score. Furthermore, both steps and MVPA were associated with the subscales physical well-being (steps: r = 0.165 p=.003; MVPA: r = 0.129, P = .022), friends (steps: r = 0.210, P < .001, MVPA: r = 0.179, P = .001), steps, and to everyday functioning (r = 0.142, P = .012). Logistic regression showed each MVPA minute increase conferred to a 1% increase in reporting better HRQoL (OR: 1.009 [95% CI: 1.002 - 1.017], P = .019). CONCLUSIONS: PA was positively associated with HRQoL in children with CHD. Patients who move more are more likely to report better HRQoL. While the magnitude of this association needs to be further understood, continuous encouragement towards more PA seems to be crucial in a holistic approach to medical aftercare in children with CHD.

Relating mindfulness and executive function in children.

Despite the important role of cognitions in mindful awareness, research on the cognitive processes underlying mindfulness in young populations is scarce. This study explores the association between the core executive functions (i.e. inhibition, working memory, and shifting) and mindfulness within the same model in a sample of children. Seventy-two parent-child dyads participated in the study. Difficulties with executive functioning and child mindfulness level were assessed. Inhibition, working memory, and shifting were significantly correlated with mindfulness. Furthermore, moderate to good fit was found in a model testing the association between mindfulness and the latent executive function variable composed by the three executive functions, and individual executive functions demonstrated significant loadings in relation to the latent variable. In a model relating mindfulness to each individual executive function, mindfulness was uniquely associated with inhibition, working memory, and shifting. The application of current theoretical models of mindfulness to child populations and clinical implications are discussed.

An integrative development-in-sociocultural-context model for children's engagement in learning.

The construct of engagement provides a holistic lens for understanding how children interact with learning activities, with distinct behavioral, emotional-affective, and cognitive components forming a multidimensional engagement profile for each child. As the understanding of engagement and recognition of its complexity grow, a pressing need has emerged for a synthetic, coherent review that simultaneously integrates extant literature and clarifies the conceptualization of engagement, identifies its key facilitators and consequences, and proffers a theoretical framework that elaborates on how engagement functions. Using a developmental-contextual approach, this article integrates empirical and theoretical scholarship to illustrate how engagement is produced by developmental and relational processes involving transactions across multiple ecologies. The integrative model of engagement offers a comprehensive perspective on the multiple pathways-psychological, cognitive, social, and cultural-underlying the development of children's engagement. Conceptualizing engagement as a multidimensional construct shaped by interactions between an individual and the environment enriches the field's understanding of the personal, contextual, and sociocultural factors that foster or undermine engagement. This framing also enhances understanding of the psychosocial mechanisms through which learning environments influence engagement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of prenatal and/or postnatal supplementation with iron, PUFA or folic acid on neurodevelopment: update.

Neurodevelopment has been linked, among other factors, to maternal and early infant diets. The objective of this review, which is part of the NUTRIMENTHE research project 'The effect of diet on the mental performance of children' (www.nutrimenthe.com), was to update current evidence on the effects of nutritional interventions such as iron, folic acid or n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation during pregnancy and/or in early life on the mental performance and psychomotor development of children. In May 2014, we searched MEDLINE and The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for relevant studies published since 2009. The limited updated evidence suggests that iron supplementation of infants may positively influence the psychomotor development of children, although it does not seem to alter their mental development or behaviour. The use of multivitamin-containing folic acid supplements during pregnancy did not benefit the mental performance of the offspring. Evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCT) did not show a clear and consistent benefit of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation on childhood cognitive and visual development. Caution is needed when interpreting current evidence, as many of the included trials had methodological limitations such as small sample sizes, high attrition rates, and no intention-to-treat analyses. Taken together, the evidence is still inconclusive. Large, high-quality RCT to assess the effects of supplementation with iron, LCPUFA or folic acid are still needed to further clarify the effects of these, and other nutrients, on neurodevelopment. Recent recommendations from scientific societies are briefly presented.

The Impact of Equine Therapy and an Audio-Visual Approach Emphasizing Rhythm and Beat Perception in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of a therapeutic horse riding (HR) intervention and an audiovisual (AV) intervention comprising exposure to equine rhythm and motion on developmental parameters of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Design: The study design was a pretest/post-test. Settings/Location: The study took place in three locations across Ireland-St. Michael's Boys School in Mervue, Co Galway, The Hunt Museum in Limerick City, Co. Limerick, and Fettercairn Youth Horse Project in Tallaght, Co. Dublin. Subjects: Eighty-three children (6-14 years) with a primary diagnosis of DCD. Interventions: Children meeting the inclusion criteria were divided into three groups: HR, AV, and a control (C) group. Those in the intervention groups participated in eight 30 min HR lessons or AV screening sessions. Outcome measures: A Childhood Depression Inventory (CDI) measured signs of depression. A Childhood Behavior CheckList (CBCL) determined any behavioral and emotional problems, while a Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) assessed the presence and extent of any social impairment. A GAITRite system provided an overall Functional Ambulation Performance (FAP) score (an automatic accumulated score of gait parameters, including gait speed, symmetry, distance, cadence, tension, support, and velocity), which was used to evaluate gait improvements. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a main effect of time on all variables. Bonferroni post hoc tests revealed that these effects were due to significant improvements in both HR and AV groups for CDI, CBCL, and SRS, and significant improvements in the HR group only for FAP. Conclusions: This study provides initial evidence to support the value of an equine AV perception intervention at improving developmental parameters in children with DCD and provides additional support for the benefits of therapeutic HR on social, emotional, behavioral, and gait variables in these children.

Action simulation and mirroring in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Mental imitation, perhaps a precursor to motor imitation, involves visual perspective-taking and motor imagery. Research on mental imitation in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been rather limited compared to that on motor imitation. The main objective of this fMRI study is to determine the differences in brain responses underlying mirroring and mentalizing networks during mental imitation in children and adolescents with ASD. Thirteen high-functioning children and adolescents with ASD and 15 age-and- IQ-matched typically developing (TD) control participants took part in this fMRI study. In the MRI scanner, participants were shown cartoon pictures of people performing everyday actions (Transitive actions: e.g., ironing clothes but with the hand missing; and Intransitive actions: e.g., clapping hands with the palms missing) and were asked to identify which hand or palm orientation would best fit the gap. The main findings are: 1) both groups performed equally while processing transitive and intransitive actions; 2) both tasks yielded activation in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) in ASD and TD groups; 3) Increased activation was seen in ASD children, relative to TD, in left ventral premotor and right middle temporal gyrus during intransitive actions; and 4) ASD symptom severity positively correlated with activation in left parietal, right middle temporal, and right premotor regions across all subjects. Overall, our findings suggest that regions mediating mirroring may be recruiting more brain resources in ASD and may have implications for understanding social movement through modeling.

Effects of iron supplementation of low-birth-weight infants on cognition and behavior at 7 years: a randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundLow-birth-weight infants (LBW) are at an increased risk of iron deficiency that has been associated with impaired neurodevelopment. We hypothesized that iron supplementation of LBW infants improves cognitive scores and reduces behavioral problems until school age.MethodsWe randomized 285 marginally LBW (2,000-2,500 g) infants to receive 0, 1, or 2 mg/kg/day of iron supplements from 6 weeks to 6 months of age. At 7 years of age, 205 participants were assessed regarding cognition using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and behavior using the parental questionnaires Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Five to Fifteen (FTF).ResultsThere were no significant differences between the intervention groups in WISC-IV or FTF. However, the CBCL scores for externalizing problems were significantly different, in favor of supplemented children (P=0.045). When combining the supplemented groups, they had significantly lower scores for externalizing behavior compared with placebo (median (interquartile range): 44 [34;51] vs. 48.5 [41;56] P=0.013), and their risk ratio (95% confidence interval) for a total behavioral score above the cutoff for clinical problems was 0.31 (0.09-1.0), P=0.054.ConclusionLower scores of externalizing behavior in supplemented children support our previous findings at 3 years, and suggest that iron supplementation may have long-lasting effects on behavioral functions.

Can Dogs Assist Children with Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder in Complying with Challenging Demands? An Exploratory Experiment with a Live and a Robotic Dog.

OBJECTIVES: Prompted by the need to find effective ways to enhance compliance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and building on the increasing interest in dog-assisted interventions for this population, this study provides an exploratory test on whether dogs may assist children with severe ASD in complying with challenging demands while also decreasing behavioral and cardiovascular distress. DESIGN: A within-subject design was used. Depending on condition, participants were allowed to engage with a particular stimulus-their preferred toy, a live dog, or a robotic dog-before being exposed to a demanding task in which they had to wait for permission to eat a desired food item ("prohibition task"). Although inactive, the stimulus remained present during the prohibition task. SUBJECTS AND SETTINGS: Ten male children, aged between 6 and 9 years and diagnosed with severe ASD, participated in this study. All were clinically referred as having serious compliance difficulties in everyday routines. Testing occurred at participants' homes. OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants' emotional expressions, latency to distress, compliance levels, and behaviors that were shown during committed compliance were assessed during the prohibition task. In addition, cardiovascular reactivity to the task was monitored. RESULTS: Obtained data revealed significant differences between conditions for some of the considered measures. Latency to distress was higher in the live dog than in the toy condition. Committed compliance was higher in the live dog than in the toy and robot conditions. Quiet waiting during committed compliance was higher in the live dog condition than in the toy condition, and tension release behaviors were lower. In addition, heart rate reactivity was lower in the live dog condition than in the toy condition. CONCLUSIONS: The live dog condition appeared to have a calming effect on the participants, hypothetically facilitating compliance. Although promising, these findings are only preliminary and their clinical significance needs to be assessed in future studies.

Implementation of a nightly bedtime routine: How quickly do things improve?

BACKGROUND: Institution of a consistent bedtime routine has been demonstrated to improve sleep in young children within two weeks. However, no studies have investigated the rate of this change and when most change occurs. The purpose of this study was to examine the nightly change in infant sleep and maternal perceptions after implementing a bedtime routine. METHODS: Mothers (n=134) and their infant (8-18 months) were randomly assigned to implementation of a bedtime routine intervention for a two-week period. RESULTS: Two-level piecewise linear growth models showed that the intervention resulted in the most rapid change in the first three nights of the intervention across sleep outcomes, including sleep onset latency, the frequency and duration of nighttime awakenings, sleep consolidation, and maternal perceptions of bedtime ease, sleep quality, and infant mood. No significant additional improvement in sleep onset latency emerged after these first three nights, whereas small additional improvements occurred for all other outcomes throughout the remainder of the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that sleep disturbances in infants and toddlers can be quickly ameliorated within just a few nights after implementation of a consistent bedtime routine, including a bath, massage, and quiet activities. Future research should consider the potential mechanisms behind these relatively fast improvements in sleep, such as reduced household chaos or physiological changes (e.g. core body temperature, cortisol).

A Pilot Observational Study of an Acupressure/Acupuncture Intervention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) would tolerate an acupressure/acupuncture intervention and whether parents would adhere to a twice-weekly, 8-week intervention protocol. Second, to further understand best measures to use to capture impact of intervention on behavioral and regulatory functions. DESIGN: This is an observational pilot study with pre-, mid-, and postintervention measures. SETTINGS/LOCATION: The intervention was carried out in a private practice office in a large metropolitan area. SUBJECTS: A total of 10 children of ages 3-10 years with ASD and one of their parents participated. INTERVENTIONS: A total of 16 biweekly treatment sessions of acupressure and/or acupuncture were carried out by a licensed acupuncturist, and a daily home-based acupressure intervention was carried out by a parent. OUTCOME MEASURES: Attendance, tolerance of intervention, parent compliance with home program, and parent compliance in completing daily diary and five standardized measures of behavioral and regulatory functions pre-, mid-, and postintervention were recorded. RESULTS: The 10 children in this observational study, collectively, tolerated the intervention and parents adhered to the 16 sessions, biweekly protocol, and home protocol, as well as completing daily diary and five standardized measures at three different time intervals. The five measurements appeared to be sensitive to behavioral and regulatory functions that may improve with this type of intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this observational pilot study suggest that acupressure/acupuncture is a feasible intervention for children with ASD that merits rigorous evaluation through a randomized controlled trial.

Prenatal mercury exposure and offspring behaviour in childhood and adolescence.

BACKGROUND: There is considerable discussion over the possible harm caused by fetal exposure to mercury, but evidence of such harm is contradictory at levels commonly found in populations with moderate intakes of fish. Further information is needed to inform debate and clarify policy recommendations. MATERIAL: Data were collected prospectively for the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Whole blood taken in the first half of pregnancy was assayed for mercury. The outcomes were offspring behavioural assessments collected using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at seven time points between ages 4 and 16-17 years; five were completed by the mother and two by the teacher. Socioeconomic and biological confounders were first taken into account; further analyses added maternal blood selenium. Separate analyses compared the relationships between prenatal mercury levels and behaviour traits treated as continuous measures in women who ate fish with those who ate no fish in order to determine whether the relationships differed; the hypothesis was that fish consumption had benefits on the brain and masked any mercury effects. In order to prevent Type II errors, the P value for significance was set at 0.10. RESULTS: Prenatal mercury measurements and offspring behaviour results were available for between 2776 (at 47 months) to 1599 mother-child pairs (at 16-17 years). Even given a P value of 0.10, the number of significant results was no greater than expected apart from the relationships with peer problems at 4, 6 and 10-11 years where the relationships with prenatal mercury were negative (i.e. the greater the level of mercury the fewer the problems the child had with his/her peers). There were no significant differences between the associations with mercury found among the offspring of women who ate fish in pregnancy and those who did not, nor did adjustment for selenium make a difference. CONCLUSIONS: There were no adverse effects of maternal prenatal mercury levels on the behaviour of the offspring. A similar lack of relationship was found when the analyses were confined to those offspring whose mothers had eaten fish in pregnancy, and no consistent differences were found between the fish and non-fish eaters.

No association between hair cortisol or cortisone and brain morphology in children.

Little is known about the relationship between the long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and brain structure in children. Glucocorticoid in hair has emerged as an important biomarker of HPA activity. In this study, we investigated the associations of hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations with brain morphology in young children. We included 219 children aged 6-10 years from the Generation R Study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. We examined cortisol and cortisone concentrations by hair analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and assessed brain morphometric measures with structural magnetic resonance imaging. The relationships of hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations with brain volumetrics, cortical thickness, cortical surface area and gyrification were analyzed separately after adjustment for several potential confounding factors. We observed a positive association between cortisol concentrations and cortical surface area in the parietal lobe, positive associations of cortisone concentrations with thalamus volume, occipital lobe volume and cortical surface area in the parietal lobe, and a negative association between cortisone concentrations and cortical surface area in the temporal lobe in the regions of interest analyses. A negative association between cortisol or cortisone concentrations and hippocampal volume was observed in children with behavioral problems. The whole brain vertex-wise analyses did however not show any association between cortisol or cortisone concentration and brain morphometric measures after correction for multiple testing. Although some associations are noted in region of interest analyses, we do not observe clear association of hair cortisol or cortisone with brain morphometric measures in typically developing young children.

Brief Report: The Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities on the Social Functioning in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Equine-assisted activities and therapies are increasing in popularity for treatment of ASD symptoms. This research evaluated effects of a 5-week programme of therapeutic riding on social functioning of children/adolescents (N = 15) with ASD. The effectiveness of the programme was evaluated using the autism spectrum quotient, the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale and the empathising and systemising quotient. Results established that the TR intervention increased empathising and reduced maladaptive behaviours. The findings also indicated that specific adaptive behaviours like socialization and communication were not affected by the intervention. Thus, a complex picture of the effects of this intervention emerges: while TR does not change all of the child's behaviour, it can improve specific aspects of social functioning and also reduce maladaptive ASD traits.

Nutritional supplementation to reduce child aggression: a randomized, stratified, single-blind, factorial trial.

BACKGROUND: While some studies suggest that nutritional supplementation may reduce aggressive behavior in children, they have not examined whether its efficacy may be enhanced in conjunction with other treatment approaches. This study tests the hypothesis that a nutritional supplementation of omega-3, multivitamins, and minerals over 3 months, combined with cognitive behavior therapy, will reduce childhood aggression. METHODS: In this randomized, single-blind, stratified, factorial trial, a high-risk community sample of 290 children aged 11-12 years were randomized into Nutrition only, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) only, Nutrition + CBT, and Control groups. The primary outcome measures of child- and parent-reported aggressive and antisocial behavior were collected at 0 months (baseline), 3 months (end of treatment), 6 months (3 months posttreatment), and 12 months (9 months posttreatment). The trial ('Healthy Brains & Behavior: Understanding and Treating Youth Aggression (HBB)' was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00842439 RESULTS: For child self-reports, children in the Nutrition only group showed reduced externalizing behavior compared to Controls at 3 months. At 6 months, the Nutrition + CBT group scored lower on externalizing behavior compared to both CBT only and Control groups. Findings were more in evidence for an Aggressive-Reactive form of antisocial behavior than for a Callous-Proactive form. Effect sizes were in the small-to-medium range (d = -.33 to -.37). Group differences were not sustained 9 months posttreatment, and no other effects were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide some limited support for the efficacy of omega-3, vitamin, and mineral supplementation in reducing aggressive behavior in children, and represent the first evaluation of nutritional supplements in conjunction with CBT.

Depression, immune function, and early adrenarche in children.

Despite consistent findings of an association between depression and immunity in adult and adolescent populations, little is known about the nature of this relationship at earlier ages. Studies of children have yielded mixed results, suggesting methodological confounds and/or the presence of significant moderating factors. Timing of adrenarche, the first phase of puberty that occurs during late childhood, is a plausible moderator of the depression-immunity relationship in late childhood due to its associations with both the immune system and psychological wellbeing. We hypothesized that: (1) a depression-immunity association exists in children, (2) this association is moderated by adrenarcheal timing, and, (3) this association is also moderated by gender. Data were drawn from a nested study of 103 participants (62 females, Mage=9.5, age range: 8.67-10.21 years) participating in a population based cohort study of the transition from childhood to adolescence (across puberty). Participants in this nested study completed the Children's Depression Inventory 2 (CDI-2) and provided morning saliva samples to measure immune markers (i.e., C-reactive protein, CRP; and secretory immunoglobulin A, SIgA). Using hierarchical regression, inflammation measured by CRP was positively associated with the negative mood/physical symptoms (NM/PS) subscale (ß=0.23, t=2.33, p=0.022) of the CDI-2. A significant interaction effect of SIgA x adrenarcheal timing was found for NM/PS (ß=-0.39, t=-2.19, p=0.031) and Interpersonal Problems (ß=-0.47, t=-2.71, p=0.008). SIgA and NM/PS were positively associated for relatively late developers. SIgA and Interpersonal Problems were positively associated for late developers, and negatively associated for early developers. We suggest that both sets of findings might be partially explained by the immunosuppressive effect of the hormonal changes associated with earlier adrenarche, namely testosterone. These results also suggest that adrenarcheal timing has an effect on the association between depression and immunity, and is therefore an important measure in research with younger populations. Future research should utilize longitudinal designs to demonstrate direction of influence of variables, and use a broader range of pro- and anti-inflammatory markers.

Not All Sounds Have Negative Effects on Children Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the role of music therapy on the level of stress in children undergoing repair of congenital heart disease. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Children's university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty children aged 4 to 12 years undergoing repair of congenital heart disease. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized into 2 equal groups (control group and music group); in the control group, patients listened to a blank CD, and in the music group, patients listened to a recorded CD of music and songs preferred by the child. Demographic data, clinical data, and preoperative vital signs were recorded. Baseline stress markers (blood glucose and cortisol levels) were sampled. Patients were assessed intraoperatively until extubation for vital signs and stress markers and after extubation for pain and sedation scales. An interview was conducted within the first postoperative week with the patients and their parents for assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder and negative postoperative behavior changes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics, clinical data, vital signs, preoperative and at-extubation blood glucose levels, and preoperative blood cortisol levels between groups. Significant differences were found between groups in blood glucose levels and cortisol levels at all intraoperative times, but only in cortisol blood levels at extubation. Significant differences were found in pain score, sedation score, occurrence of child post-traumatic stress disorder, and occurrence of negative postoperative behavior. CONCLUSION: Listening to favorable music by children undergoing repair for congenital heart disease resulted in less stress and more relaxation.

Effects of a classroom-based yoga intervention on cortisol and behavior in second- and third-grade students: a pilot study.

This uncontrolled pilot study examined the effects of a classroom-based yoga intervention on cortisol concentrations and perceived behavior in children. A 10-week Yoga 4 Classrooms intervention was implemented in one second-grade and one third-grade classroom. Students' salivary cortisol responses were assessed at 3 time points. Classroom teachers also documented their perceptions of the effects of the intervention on students' cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Second, but not third, graders showed a significant decrease in baseline cortisol from before to after the intervention. Second and third graders both showed significant decreases in cortisol from before to after a cognitive task, but neither grade showed additional decreases from before to after a single yoga class. The second-grade teacher perceived significant improvements in several aspects his/her students' behavior. The third-grade teacher perceived some, but fewer, improvements in his/her students' behavior. Results suggest that school-based yoga may be advantageous for stress management and behavior.

Tratamiento del trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad (tdah). Implicaciones para enfermería / Treatment of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (adhd): nursing implications

OBJETIVO. Esta revisión pretende conocer el papel de la enfermera en el tratamiento del TDAH, identificando las opciones terapéuticas más adecuadas entre las intervenciones de enfermería y el tratamiento farmacológico. DESARROLLO. En el TDAH, la labor de la enfermera es responder a las necesidades de las familias acerca de la eficacia de la medicación, el tratamiento de modificación del comportamiento y otras alternativas menos ortodoxas. Se plantean intervenciones de psicoeducación con la familia que favorecen el proceso de recuperación del niño. A través de la Educación para la Salud, la enfermera debe promocionar la combinación del tratamiento comportamental y farmacológico como el único capaz de mejorar la calidad de vida del niño. CONCLUSIONES. Las enfermeras tienen un rol privilegiado por su experiencia en la Educación para la Salud; esto contribuye a que sean un agente competente para proporcionar a las familias información indispensable sobre el tratamiento de la enfermedad. Las escuelas españolas carecen de una figura que represente la salud como una asignatura relevante en el proceso vital, de ahí la necesidad de la enfermera escolar (AU)

OBJECTIVE. This review aims to know the role of the nurse in ADHD treatment, identifying the most appropriate therapeutic options between nursing interventions and pharmacological treatment. DEVELOPMENT. In ADHD, the role of the nurse is to respond family needs about the effectiveness of medication, behavior modification treatment and other alternatives. There are family interventions of psychoeducation that assist the child in the recovery process. Through the education for health, the nurse should promote the combination of behavioral therapy and pharmacological as the only one able to improve child’s quality of life. CONCLUSIONS. Nurses have a privileged role due to its experience in education for health; this contributes to being a competent agent that provides families essential information about the disease treatment. Spanish schools are lacking a figure that represent health as a relevant subject in the vital process, hence the need of the school nurse (AU)

A general population twin study of conduct problems and the auditory P300 waveform.

Reduced amplitude of the P300 event-related potential has been consistently associated with a variety of externalising problems, including conduct disorder. The few available genetically-informative studies of these relationships, however, were conducted among adolescents/adults (i.e., at an age when conduct disorder has typically already become manifest). Among 200 general population twins with a mean age of 9 years (range 6-14 years), we studied the relationship between the P300 waveform elicited by an auditory oddball task and the DSM-oriented conduct problems scale of the Child Behavior Checklist 6-18. Conduct problems scores were negatively and significantly correlated (r = -0.19, p = 0.01) with P300 amplitude; correlations between P300 amplitude and the other DSM-oriented Child Behavior Checklist scales were non-significant, except for oppositional defiant problems (p = 0.01). We found moderate heritability estimates for both P300 amplitude (0.58, CI:0.37;0.73) and conduct problems (0.52, CI:0.25;0.70). Bivariate twin analyses indicated that the covariation between these two phenotypes can be explained by additive genetic factors only, with a genetic correlation of -0.33. An association between reduced P300 amplitude and conduct problems can be substantiated already in childhood, at an age that precedes the most typical onset of conduct disorder. This relationship appears to be genetic in nature. Reduced P300 amplitude can represent a valuable marker for conduct problems, and can contribute to the early identification of children at high-risk for conduct disorder.