Neurodevelopmental disorders and family quality of life: emerging trends and future research directions.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders. There is a growing body of literature investigating factors affecting quality of life in families (FQoL) with a child with these disorders. However, there are no studies that trace their knowledge anatomy. Thus, we conducted a scientometric analysis to describe this literature, detect certain variables that could be related to FQoL, and identify tendencies and open questions for future research. A literature search in the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus was run and identified 3281 publications published between 1975 and 2022. The results suggest an increase in the quantity of publications on FQoL in ASD and ADHD over the last few years (14% and 12%, respectively). For both research fields, the USA published the highest number of documents, showing that the production related to ADHD and FQoL is concentrated in just a few countries. Thematic analysis revealed several clusters, considering quality of life and children as core themes that are still setting trend lines. Moreover, it would be worthwhile to describe and analyze FQoL not only during the childhood of children with ASD and ADHD but also during their adolescence. IMPACT: Although the relationship between family quality of life and neurodevelopmental disorders could be considered novel, there is a growing interest from an interdisciplinary perspective. Family quality of life should be monitored not only during the childhood of children with ASD and ADHD, but also during their adolescence and adulthood. The analysis of the family quality of life in first-degree relatives and its relationship with protective factors (e.g., resilience and social support) should be explored in future studies.

The effects of an exercise intervention on neuroelectric activity and executive function in children with overweight/obesity: The ActiveBrains randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a 20-week aerobic and resistance exercise program induces changes in brain current density underlying working memory and inhibitory control in children with overweight/obesity. METHODS: A total of 67 children (10.00 ± 1.10 years) were randomized into an exercise or control group. Electroencephalography (EEG)-based current density (µA/mm2 ) was estimated using standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) during a working memory task (Delayed non-matched-to-sample task, DNMS) and inhibitory control task (Modified flanker task, MFT). In DNMS, participants had to memorize four stimuli (Pokemons) and then select between two of them, one of which had not been previously shown. In MFT, participants had to indicate whether the centered cow (i.e., target) of five faced the right or left. RESULTS: The exercise group had significantly greater increases in brain activation in comparison with the control group during the encoding phase of DNMS, particularly during retention of second stimuli in temporal and frontal areas (peak t = from 3.4 to 3.8, cluster size [k] = from 11 to 39), during the retention of the third stimuli in frontal areas (peak t = from 3.7 to 3.9, k = from 15 to 26), and during the retention of the fourth stimuli in temporal and occipital areas (peak t = from 2.7 to 4.3, k = from 13 to 101). In MFT, the exercise group presented a lower current density change in the middle frontal gyrus (peak t = -4.1, k = 5). No significant change was observed between groups for behavioral performance (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSION: A 20-week exercise program modulates brain activity which might provide a positive influence on working memory and inhibitory control in children with overweight/obesity.

Early morning physical activity is associated with healthier white matter microstructure and happier children: the ActiveBrains project.

The background of this study is to examine the associations of individual and combined early morning patterns (i.e., active commuting to school, physical activity before school, having breakfast and good sleep) with white matter microstructure (WMM) and, whether the associated white mater microstructure outcomes were related to mental health outcomes in children with overweight or obesity. 103 children with overweight or obesity (10.0 ± 1.1 years old, 42 girls) from the ActiveBrains project participated in this cross-sectional study. Early morning patterns and mental health indicators (i.e., self-esteem, optimism, positive and negative affect, stress, depression and anxiety) were self-reported by the children using validated questionnaires. WMM was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging using diffusion tensor imaging. When examined independently, early morning patterns were not related with WMM (all P > 0.05). However, the combination of early morning patterns was related with WMM (P < 0.05). Specifically, physically active early morning patterns (i.e., active commuting to school and physical activity before school) were associated with global fractional anisotropy (FA) (ß = 0.298, P = 0.013) and global radial diffusivity (RD) (ß = - 0.272, P = 0.021), as well as with tract-specific FA (ß = 0.314, P = 0.004) and RD (ß = - 0.234, P = 0.032) in the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Furthermore, combined physically active early morning pattern-associated global (i.e., FA and RD) and tract-specific (i.e., FA and RD in the SLF) WMM indicators were positively associated with happiness (ß absolute value range from 0.252 to 0.298, all P < 0.05). A combination of physically active early morning patterns may positively relate to white matter microstructure in children with overweight or obesity, and, in turn, happiness.

Early life factors and structural brain network in children with overweight/obesity: The ActiveBrains project.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to investigate the association of early life factors, including birth weight, birth length, and breastfeeding practices, with structural brain networks; and to test whether structural brain networks associated with early life factors were also associated with academic performance in children with overweight/obesity (OW/OB). METHOD: 96 children with OW/OB aged 8-11 years (10.03 ± 1.16) from the ActiveBrains project were included. Early life factors were collected from birth records and reported by parents as weight, height, and months of breastfeeding. T1-weighted images were used to identify structural networks using a non-negative matrix factorization (NNMF) approach. Academic performance was evaluated by the Woodcock-Muñoz standardized test battery. RESULTS: Birth weight and birth length were associated with seven networks involving the cerebellum, cingulate gyrus, occipital pole, and subcortical structures including hippocampus, caudate nucleus, putamen, pallidum, nucleus accumbens, and amygdala. No associations were found for breastfeeding practices. None of the networks linked to birth weight and birth length were linked to academic performance. CONCLUSIONS: Birth weight and birth length, but not breastfeeding, were associated with brain structural networks in children with OW/OB. Thus, early life factors are related to brain networks, yet a link with academic performance was not observed. IMPACT: Birth weight and birth length, but not breastfeeding, were associated with several structural brain networks involving the cerebellum, cingulate gyrus, occipital pole, and subcortical structures including hippocampus, caudate, putamen, pallidum, accumbens and amygdala in children with overweight/obesity, playing a role for a normal brain development. Despite no academic consequences, other behavioral consequences should be investigated. Interventions aimed at improving optimal intrauterine growth and development may be of importance to achieve a healthy brain later in life.

Sex Moderates the Relationship Between Social Support and Cardiovascular Prevention Behaviors in Middle-aged and Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Most risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are modifiable, suggesting that the burden of CVD could be substantially reduced through cardiovascular screening and healthier lifestyle. People who have social support are more likely to adhere to cardiovascular prevention recommendations, but it is not clear whether the benefit of social support is equal for men and women. PURPOSE: We investigated whether sex moderates the relationship between social support and adherence to cardiovascular prevention recommendations in a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Participants were 17,287 adults (n = 10,264 middle-aged adults 40-64 years old and n = 7,023 older adults ≥ 65 years old) who participated in the National Health Survey of Spain in 2017. Social support was measured with the Functional Social Support Questionnaire of Duke-UNC. Adherence to cardiovascular screening recommendations was assessed based on self-reported testing of cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar by a health professional in the past 12 months. Adherence to recommended health-related behaviors was assessed based on the guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology regarding diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical activity. RESULTS: Multiple regression models adjusted for socio-demographic and cardiovascular history and risk variables showed that social support was more strongly associated with adherence to cardiovascular prevention recommendations in men than in women. In particular, low social support levels were especially detrimental for both middle-aged men (screening: B = 0.13, 95% CI [0.06-0.20], p < .001; behaviors: B = 0.33 [0.26-0.41], p < .001) and older men (screening: B = 0.10 [0.04-0.17], p = .001; behaviors: B = 0.16 [0.08-0.25], p < .001), whereas older women had comparatively high adherence, which was unrelated to social support (screening: B = 0.02 [-0.03 to 0.08], p = .433; behaviors: B = 0.03 [-0.03 to 0.10], p = .342). CONCLUSIONS: Social support is more strongly associated with cardiovascular prevention in men than in women, such that men who lack social support have the lowest adherence to cardiovascular screening and lifestyle recommendations.

To help prevent cardiovascular disease, experts recommend screening for cardiovascular risk factors and leading a healthy lifestyle. Previous research has found that people who have social support are more likely to adhere to such cardiovascular prevention recommendations. In this study, using data form a nationally representative survey, we investigated whether the relationship between social support and adherence to cardiovascular prevention recommendations is different for men and women. Participants were 17,287 adults from the National Health Survey of Spain, who reported their cardiovascular screening history (i.e., whether they had their cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels tested by a health professional in the past 12 months) and their lifestyle habits regarding diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical activity. Social support was more strongly associated with cardiovascular prevention in men than in women, such that men who lacked social support had the lowest adherence to cardiovascular screening and lifestyle recommendations.

Physical activity, sedentary time, and fitness in relation to brain shapes in children with overweight/obesity: Links to intelligence.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between physical activity, sedentary time, and physical fitness with the shapes of subcortical brain structures in children with overweight/obesity. Further, we analyzed whether differences in the shapes of subcortical brain structures were related to intelligence. We hypothesized that those children with higher physical activity levels, lower sedentary time, and better fitness, would show greater expansion of the brain regions analyzed, and these expansions would be associated with higher intelligence. STUDY DESIGN: 100 children (10.0 ± 1.1 years, 40 girls) were included in the analyses. Physical activity and sedentary time were measured by accelerometry, and physical fitness was evaluated by a fitness battery. Shapes of subcortical brain structures were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Intelligence was measured by the Kaufmann Brief Intelligence test. RESULTS: Physical activity was related to expansion of the right/left pallidum, right/left putamen, and right thalamus (p < 0.05). Higher sedentary time was related to contraction of the left thalamus and right nucleus accumbens (p < 0.05). Higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with expansion of the right amygdala (p = 0.022). Greater strength in the upper-limb was related to expansion of the right/left pallidum and the left nucleus accumbens (p < 0.038), and contraction of the left amygdala (p = 0.030). Better speed-agility was associated with expansion of the left nucleus accumbens (p = 0.036). Physical activity- and fitness-related expansion of the right pallidum was associated with higher intelligence (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Physical activity, sedentary time, and physical fitness were significantly related to the shapes of subcortical brain structures, which in turn were related to intelligence in children with overweight/obesity.

Does sleep-disordered breathing add to impairments in academic performance and brain structure usually observed in children with overweight/obesity?

Approximately 4-11% of children suffer from sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and children with obesity are at increased risk. Both obesity and SDB have been separately associated with poorer brain health, yet whether SDB severity affects brain health in children with obesity remains unanswered. This study aimed to examine associations of SDB severity with academic performance and brain structure (i.e., total brain and gray and white matter volumes and gray matter volume in the hippocampus) in children with overweight/obesity. One hundred nine children aged 8-12 years with overweight/obesity were included. SDB severity and its subscales (i.e., snoring, daytime sleepiness, and inattention/hyperactivity) were evaluated via the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), and academic performance was evaluated with the Woodcock-Muñoz standardized test and school grades. Brain structure was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. SDB severity was not associated with academic performance measured by the standardized test (all |ß|> 0.160, P > 0.076), yet it was associated with the school grade point average (ß = -0.226, P = 0.007) and natural and social science grades (ß = -0.269, P = 0.024). Intention/hyperactivity seemed to drive these associations. No associations were found between SDB severity and the remaining school grades (all ß < -0.188, P > 0.065) or brain volumes (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that SDB severity was associated with lower school grades, yet it was not associated with the standardized measurement of academic performance or with brain volumes in children with overweight/obesity. SDB severity may add to academic problems in children beyond the effects contributed by overweight/obesity status alone. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) may affect brain structure and academic performance in children. • Children with overweight/obesity are at higher risk for the development of SDB, yet the comorbid obesity-SDB relationship with brain health has not been investigated thus far. WHAT IS NEW: • To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the associations of comorbid obesity-SDB severity with brain volumes and academic performance in children. • SDB symptoms may adversely affect academic performance at school in children with overweight/obesity, beyond the effects of weight status alone.

Limited marginal bone loss in implant-supported fixed full-arch rehabilitations after 5 years of follow-up.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the 5-year results in terms of marginal bone level (MBL) around implants supporting fixed full-arch metal-ceramic restorations in a series of cases of patients who had lost their teeth in that dental arch because of severe periodontal disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was designed to evaluate the 5-year MBL results of OsseoSpeed™ Astra Tech TX implants with internal tapered conical connection. Age, gender, bone substratum, smoking habits, history of periodontitis, and prosthetic features were recorded. Mixed linear model was used to determine the influence of the different variables on MBL. RESULTS: In this series, a total of 160 implants placed in 19 patients were evaluated. No implant failure was reported during the 5 years of follow-up. Only 14 (8.75%) implants had more than 2 mm of MBL. Abutment height, F(3,142) = 6.917, p < .001, and implant diameter, F(1,141) = 15.059, p < .001, were determined to be statistically associated with MBL. No other effect was significant. Pairwise comparisons showed that MBL was larger for abutment height = 1 (MBL = -0.987, SE = 0.186) compared with the remaining heights [-0.335 (0.171), -0.169 (0.192) and -0.247 (0.267), 2, 4 and 6 mm, respectively]. MBL was larger for narrow (-0.510, SE = 0.169) than for wide implants (-0.364, SE = 0.190). CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrates that the vast majority of internal conical connection implants supporting fixed full-arch metal-ceramic restorations do not suffer from relevant MBL after 5 years in function. Particularly, those implants with transmucosal abutments longer than 2 mm show less than 0.5 mm from the implant shoulder to the marginal bone.

The impact of tooth loss on cognitive function.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if there is epidemiological evidence of an association between edentulism and cognitive decline beside that currently available from limited sample-sized case series and cross-sectional studies considering limited co-variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from two USA national health surveys [NHIS 2014-2017 and NHANES 2005-2018] were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression to study the impact of type of edentulism and number of remaining teeth on memory and concentration problems. Age, gender, socioeconomic status, education level, cardiovascular health index, body mass index, exercise, alcohol, smoking habits, and anxiety and depression were used as covariates. RESULTS: The combined population sample was 102,291 individuals. Age, socioeconomic status, educational level, anxiety and depression levels, and edentulism showed the highest odds ratios for cognitive decline. Number of teeth present in the mouth was found to be a predictor of cognitive status. This association showed a gradient effect, so that the lower the number of teeth, the greater the risk of exhibiting cognitive decline. CONCLUSIONS: Edentulism was found among the higher ORs for cognitive impairment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Maintenance of functional teeth through the promotion of oral health may contribute to the preservation of memory/concentration and other essential cognitive functions. Thus, increasing and efficiently coordinating efforts aimed at preventing of tooth loss in the adult population could substantially contribute to reduce the incidence of cognitive impairment.

Physical fitness, hippocampal functional connectivity and academic performance in children with overweight/obesity: The ActiveBrains project.

OBJECTIVES: Physical fitness is a modifiable factor associated with enhanced brain health during childhood. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to examine: (i) whether physical fitness components (i.e., cardiorespiratory, motor and muscular fitness) are associated with resting state functional connectivity of hippocampal seeds to different cortical regions in children with overweight/obesity, and (ii) whether resting state hippocampal functional connectivity is coupled with better academic performance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 99 children with overweight/obesity aged 8-11 years were recruited from Granada, Spain (November 2014 to February 2016). The physical fitness components were assessed following the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery. T1-weighted and resting-state fMRI images were acquired with a 3.0 Tesla Siemens Magnetom Tim Trio system. Academic performance was assessed by the Woodcock-Muñoz standardized test. Hippocampal seed-based procedures with post-hoc regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted models, cardiorespiratory fitness was independently associated with greater hippocampal connectivity between anterior hippocampus and frontal regions (ß ranging from 0.423 to 0.424, p < 0.001). Motor fitness was independently associated with diminished hippocampal connectivity between posterior hippocampus and frontal regions (ß ranging from -0.583 to -0.694, p < 0.001). However, muscular fitness was not independently associated with hippocampal functional connectivity. Positive resting state hippocampal functional connectivity was related to better written expression (ß ranging from 0.209 to 0.245; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Physical fitness components may associate with functional connectivity between hippocampal subregions and frontal regions, independent of hippocampal volume, in children with overweight/obesity. Particularly, cardiorespiratory fitness may enhance anterior hippocampal functional connectivity and motor fitness may diminish posterior hippocampal functional connectivity. In addition, resting state hippocampal functional connectivity may relate to better written expression.

Physical comorbidities as a marker for high risk of psychological distress in cancer patients.

AIMS: Physical and psychiatric comorbidities are common in cancer patients and could impact their treatment and prognosis. However, the evidence base regarding the influence of comorbidities in the management and health service use of patients is still scant. In this research we investigated how physical comorbidities are related to the mental health and help-seeking of cancer patients. METHODS: Data were obtained from the representative National Health Survey of Spain (2017). Participants were respondents who reported a cancer diagnosis (n = 484). These were also matched with controls without cancer history (n = 484) based on age, gender, and region. Four alternative physical comorbidities indices were created based on information regarding 28 chronic conditions. Outcomes of interest were psychological distress and having consulted a mental healthcare professional in the year before the survey. RESULTS: Thirty percent of cancer patients reported significant psychological distress but only 10% had consulted a professional. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, among cancer patients each additional comorbidity was associated with 9% higher odds of reporting high psychological distress (odds ratio [OR] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.16) and 21% higher odds of having consulted a mental healthcare professional (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.09-1.34). The effects of comorbidities depended on the type of index and were different in controls without cancer history. CONCLUSION: Physical comorbidities in cancer patients are associated with higher risk of psychological distress and higher demand for mental health services. We encourage further research on this issue as it could improve mental health screening and management in oncologic care.

Physical fitness and brain source localization during a working memory task in children with overweight/obesity: The ActiveBrains project.

The present study aims (i) to examine the association of physical fitness components (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness, speed-agility, and muscular fitness) with brain current source density during working memory; and (ii) to examine whether fitness-related current density was associated to working memory performance and academic achievement. Eighty-five children with overweight/obesity aged 8-11 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Physical fitness components were assessed using the ALPHA test battery. Electroencephalography recordings were performed during a Delayed Non-Match-to-Sample task that assessed working memory. Brain source analysis was carried out using sLORETA to estimate regional current source density differences between high and low (H-L) working memory loads. Academic achievement was measured by the Spanish version of the Woodcock-Johnson III test battery. The main results showed that higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with higher H-L current density differences in frontal, limbic, and occipital regions during encoding and maintenance task's phases (ß≥0.412, p ≤ 0.019). A limbic area was further related to better working memory performance (ß=0.267, p = 0.005). During retrieval, higher cardiorespiratory fitness was also associated with higher current density in temporal regions (ß=0.265, p = 0.013), whereas lower muscular fitness was associated with higher current density in frontal regions (ß=-0.261, p = 0.016). Our results suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness, but not speed-agility nor muscular fitness, is positively associated with brain current source density during working memory processes in children with overweight/obesity. Fitness-related current density differences in limbic regions were associated with better working memory.

Activity-rest circadian pattern and academic achievement, executive function, and intelligence in children with obesity.

This study aimed to analyze the associations of activity-rest pattern indicators with academic achievement, executive function, and intelligence and to explore whether these associations are mediated by the total gray matter volume among children with overweight/obesity. Ninety-five children (10 ± 1 year, 37 girls) with overweight/obesity (based on the World Obesity Federation body mass index cutoff points) were included in this cross-sectional study. Hip- and wrist-worn ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometers were used to assess the activity-rest pattern. Interdaily stability (IS), intradaily variability (IV), the mean value of the lowest 5 hours (L5), and the mean value of the maximum 10 hours (M10) of activity and their respective timing (TL5, TM10) were used as indicators of the activity-rest pattern throughout the day. Chronotype and social jetlag were used as indicators of circadian preference. Academic achievement, executive function, and intelligence were assessed with standardized tests. Gray matter volume was acquired by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). IS was positively associated with executive function (ß = 0.244, P = .014). IV was negatively associated with mathematics and academic applications (ß: -0.211 to -0.238, P's ≤ .026). Later TM10 in the day was related to lower writing, academic skills, and intelligence (ß: -0.229 to -0.271, P's ≤ .025). None of the associations found were mediated by gray matter volume. A non-fragmented and stable activity-rest pattern and earlier physical activity in the day were associated with better academic achievement, executive function, and intelligence in children with overweight/obesity. Further studies are required to corroborate or contrast our findings.

Oral health and healthy chewing for healthy cognitive ageing: A comprehensive narrative review.

INTRODUCTION: Ageing leads to physiological cognitive decline that it is worsened in people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Despite the ongoing search for a solution to this cognitive decline, no effective remedies have been established. It has been determined that modifiable external factors, such as oral health and occlusal function, prevent cognitive decline. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the primary interactions between occlusal function and cognitive functions. MAIN FINDINGS: Masticatory function is related to cognitive functions. In particular, current evidence, from both animal and human studies, suggests that the activation of masticatory muscles and proper mastication, with natural teeth or dental prosthesis, induces the release of several mediators and the activation of specific brain areas. Together, they result in higher neuronal activity, neurotrophic support, blood flow and the prevention of amyloid-beta plaque formation. Thus, all the components of the masticatory system must work together in order to preserve cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: Available evidence suggests that oral and cognitive health are more interconnected than previously thought. Therefore, maintenance and adequate restoration of the whole masticatory system are important for the prevention of cognitive decline. In summary, oral and chewing health lead to healthy cognitive ageing.

Risk proneness modulates the impact of impulsivity on brain functional connectivity.

Impulsivity and sensation seeking are considered to be among the most important personality traits involved in risk-taking behavior. This study is focused on whether the association of these personality traits and brain functional connectivity depends on individuals' risk proneness. Risk proneness was assessed with the DOSPERT-30 scale and corroborated with performance in a motorcycle simulator. The associations of impulsivity- and sensation seeking-related traits with the between and within coupling of seven major brain functional networks, estimated from electroencefalograma (EEG) recordings, differ according to whether an individual is risk prone or not. In risk-prone individuals, (lack of) premeditation enhanced the coupling of the ventral attention and limbic networks. At the same time, emotion seeking increased the coupling of the frontoparietal network and the default mode networks (DMNs). Finally, (lack of) perseverance had a positive impact on the coupling of anterior temporal nodes of the limbic network whilst having a negative impact on some frontal nodes of the frontoparietal network and the DMNs. In general, the results suggest that the predisposition to behave riskily modulates the way in which impulsivity traits are linked to brain functionality, seemingly making the brain networks prepare for an immediate, automatic, and maladaptive response.

Fitness, physical activity and academic achievement in overweight/obese children.

The aim of this study was to examine the associations of fitness and physical activity with academic achievement in children with overweight/obesity. A total of 106 (10.0 ± 1.1y, 61 boys) children participated. The fitness components were assessed by field and laboratory-based tests. Physical activity was measured via accelerometry. The academic achievement was assessed by a standardised test and school-grades. Field-based cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with language skills (ß-standardised- ranging from 0.281 to 0.365, p < 0.01). The field-based muscular strength was associated with grade point average, natural and social sciences, and foreign language (ß = 0.280-0.326, all p ≤ 0.01). Speed-agility was associated with some language-related skills (ß = 0.325-0.393, all p ≤ 0.01). The laboratory-based muscular strength also showed an association with mathematics skills (ß = 0.251-0.306, all p ≤ 0.01). Physical activity did not show significant association with academic achievement (p > 0.01). Overall, the significant associations observed for muscular strength and speed/agility were attenuated and disappeared in many cases after additional adjustments for body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness, indicating that these associations are inter-dependent. Our study contributes by indicating that other fitness components apart from cardiorespiratory fitness, such as muscular strength and speed-agility, are positively associated with academic achievement. However, these associations appear to be dependent on body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Relationship between vertical facial pattern and brain structure and shape.

OBJECTIVES: Dolichofacial (long-faced) and brachyfacial (short-faced) individuals show specific and well-differentiated craniofacial morphology. Here, we hypothesise that differences in the basicranial orientation and topology between dolicho- and brachyfacial subjects could be associated with differences in the supporting brain tissues. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Brain volumes (total intracranial, grey matter, and white matter volume), cortical thickness, and the volumes and shapes of fifteen subcortical nuclei were assessed on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging in 185 subjects. Global, voxel-wise and shape analyses, as well as multiple regression models, were generated to evaluate the association between vertical facial variations (dolicho- and brachyfacial spectrum) and brain morphology. RESULTS: Several differences in brain anatomy between dolicho- and brachyfacial subjects, along with relevant associations between vertical facial indices and brain structure and shape, were found. The most relevant finding of this study is related to the strong association of vertical facial indices with the volumes and shapes of subcortical nuclei, as the dolichofacial pattern increased, the bilateral hippocampus and brain stem expanded, while the left caudate, right pallidus, right amygdala, and right accumbens decreased in volume. CONCLUSIONS: Long- and short-faced human subjects present differences in brain structure and shape. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANT: The results of our study increase the clinician's knowledge about brain structure in dolicho- and brachyfacial patients. The findings could be of interest since the affected brain areas are involved in higher cognitive functions in humans, including language, memory, and attention.

Early life factors, gray matter brain volume and academic performance in overweight/obese children: The ActiveBrains project.

Early life factors may influence brain and academic outcomes later in life, especially during childhood. Here we investigate the associations of early life factors (i.e., birth weight, birth length, and breastfeeding) with gray matter volume, adjusted for body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness, and ii) we test whether early-life factor-related differences in gray matter volume are associated with academic performance in overweight/obese children. 96 children with overweight/obesity aged 8-11 years participated. Birth weight, birth length and gestational age were collected from birth records, and breastfeeding practices were asked to parents. T1-weighted images were acquired with a 3.0 T Magnetom Tim Trio system. Academic performance was assessed with the Bateria III Woodcock-Muñoz Tests of Achievement. Whole-brain voxel-wise multiple regressions were used to test the associations of each early life factor with gray matter volume. Higher birth weight and birth length were associated with greater gray matter volume in 9 brain regions including the middle frontal gyrus, rectal gyrus, thalamus, putamen, middle temporal gyrus, lingual gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, calcarine cortex and cerebellum bilaterally (ß ranging from 0.361 to 0.539, t ranging from 3.46 to 5.62 and cluster size from 82 to 4478 voxels; p < 0.001); and greater duration of any breastfeeding was associated with greater gray matter volume in 3 regions including the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and rolandic operculum (ß ranging from 0.359 to 0.408, t ranging from 4.01 to 4.32 and cluster size from 64 to 171 voxels; p < 0.001). No associations were found for duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Additionally, none of the gray matter regions that were associated with the early life factors were associated with academic performance (all p > 0.05). Our results demonstrate that birth weight, birth length, and breastfeeding are predictive of gray matter volume of numerous brain structures that are involved in higher order cognition and emotion regulation, but how these results relate to measures of academic achievement remain a matter of speculation.

Fitness, cortical thickness and surface area in overweight/obese children: The mediating role of body composition and relationship with intelligence.

Cortical thickness and surface area are thought to be genetically unrelated and shaped by independent neurobiological events suggesting that they should be considered separately in morphometric analyses. Although the developmental trajectories of cortical thickness and surface area may differ across brain regions and ages, there is no consensus regarding the relationships of physical fitness with cortical thickness and surface area as well as for its subsequent influence on intelligence. Thus, this study examines: (i) the associations of physical fitness components (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness, speed-agility and muscular fitness) with overall and regional cortical thickness and surface area; (ii) whether body composition indicators (i.e., body mass index, fat-free mass index and fat mass index) mediate these associations; and (iii) the association of physical fitness and cortical thickness with intelligence in overweight/obese children. A total of 101 overweight/obese children aged 8-11 years were recruited in Granada, Spain. The physical fitness components were assessed following the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery. T1-weighted images were acquired with a 3.0 Tesla Siemens Magnetom Tim Trio system. We used FreeSurfer software version 5.3.0 to assess cortical thickness (mm) and surface area (mm2). The main results showed that cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility were related to overall cortical thickness (ß = 0.321 and ß = 0.302, respectively; both P < 0.05), and in turn, cortical thickness was associated with higher intelligence (ß = 0.198, P < 0.05). Muscular fitness was not related to overall cortical thickness. None of the three physical fitness components were related to surface area (p > 0.05). The associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility with overall cortical thickness were mediated by fat mass index (56.86% & 62.28%, respectively). In conclusion, cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility, but not muscular fitness, are associated with overall cortical thickness, and in turn, thicker brain cortex is associated with higher intelligence in overweight/obese children. Yet, none of the three physical fitness components were related to surface area. Importantly, adiposity may hinder the benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility on cortical thickness. Understanding individual differences in brain morphology may have important implications for educators and policy makers who aim to determine policies and interventions to maximize academic learning and occupational success later in life.

Maternal prepregnancy body mass index and offspring white matter microstructure: results from three birth cohorts.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prepregnancy maternal obesity is a global health problem and has been associated with offspring metabolic and mental ill-health. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding potential neurobiological factors related to these associations. This study explored the relation between maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and offspring brain white matter microstructure at the age of 6, 10, and 26 years in three independent cohorts. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study used data from three European birth cohorts (n = 116 children aged 6 years, n = 2466 children aged 10 years, and n = 437 young adults aged 26 years). Information on maternal prepregnancy BMI was obtained before or during pregnancy and offspring brain white matter microstructure was measured at age 6, 10, or 26 years. We used magnetic resonance imaging-derived fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) as measures of white matter microstructure in the brainstem, callosal, limbic, association, and projection tracts. Linear regressions were fitted to examine the association of maternal BMI and offspring white matter microstructure, adjusting for several socioeconomic and lifestyle-related confounders, including education, smoking, and alcohol use. RESULTS: Maternal BMI was associated with higher FA and lower MD in multiple brain tracts, for example, association and projection fibers, in offspring aged 10 and 26 years, but not at 6 years. In each cohort maternal BMI was related to different white matter tract and thus no common associations across the cohorts were found. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal BMI was associated with higher FA and lower MD in multiple brain tracts in offspring aged 10 and 26 years, but not at 6 years of age. Future studies should examine whether our observations can be replicated and explore the potential causal nature of the findings.