T2* Mapping of Placental Oxygenation to Estimate Fetal Cortical and Subcortical Maturation.

This cohort study investigates the association between T2* mapping of placental oxygenation and cortical and subcortical fetal brain volumes in typically developing fetuses scanned longitudinally in the third trimester.

Identifying cognitive profiles in children with neurodevelopmental disorders using online cognitive testing.

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to exhibit similar deficits in attention and memory ability. Early screening of cognitive deficits in children with NDDs, particularly in preschool children, is fundamental to improving cognitive and academic outcomes. In order to determine cognitive profiles in children with ASD and ADHD, we developed accessible audiovisual instructions for an online battery of 13 cognitive tests. Children ages 4-16 who were diagnosed with ADHD (n = 83), or ASD (n = 37), or who were typically developing children (TD) (n = 86) were recruited. Data were analyzed using a stepwise Discriminant Analysis to determine which cognitive tasks were the strongest discriminators between the diagnostic groups. Results revealed four tasks reflective of working memory, reasoning, and attentional processes, which correctly classified approximately 53-60% of each group. The ADHD group had lower scores on attentional tasks compared to TD, while ASD group had lower scores on reasoning tasks compared to the TD children, and made more attempts across all four tasks. The results from this study stress the need for cognitive screening assessments that include domain-specific items to improve the characterization of executive function deficits and promote academic achievement in all children with NDDs.

Commonly diagnosed Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with NDDs often experience a wide range of cognitive difficulties which can seriously impact their academic, emotional and behavioural outcomes at school. In this study, we used online cognitive tests that were developed for adults. These 'gamified' tasks assess a number of cognitive abilities including working memory, attention, verbal skills, and reasoning. We developed audiovisual instructions to make these tasks more suitable to children with and without NDDs. These tasks were then used in an online sample of children with ASD, ADHD, and typically developing children. We wanted to see how each group of children performed on the tasks, to assess their relative cognitive strengths and difficulties. We found that the tasks could successfully categorize each group of children based on their task performance. The ADHD group had lower scores on attentional tasks compared to TD children. The ASD group had lower scores on reasoning compared to TD children. The cognitive task battery may eventually be used to help identify cognitive difficulties and improve outcomes in children with NDDs.

Three-dimensional cranial ultrasound and functional near-infrared spectroscopy for bedside monitoring of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm neonates.

Germinal Matrix-Intraventricular Hemorrhage (GMH-IVH) remains a significant cause of adverse neurodevelopment in preterm infants. Current management relies on 2-dimensional cranial ultrasound (2D cUS) ventricular measurements. Reliable biomarkers are needed to aid in the early detection of posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) and subsequent neurodevelopment. In a prospective cohort study, we incorporated 3-dimensional (3D) cUS and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to monitor neonates with GMH-IVH. Preterm neonates (≤ 32 weeks' gestation) were enrolled following a GMH-IVH diagnosis. Neonates underwent sequential measurements: 3D cUS images were manually segmented using in-house software, and the ventricle volumes (VV) were extracted. Multichannel fNIRS data were acquired using a high-density system, and spontaneous functional connectivity (sFC) was calculated. Of the 30 neonates enrolled in the study, 19 (63.3%) had grade I-II and 11 (36.7%) grade III-IV GMH-IVH; of these, 7 neonates (23%) underwent surgical interventions to divert cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In infants with severe GMH-IVH, larger VV were significantly associated with decreased |sFC|. Our findings of increased VV and reduced sFC suggest that regional disruptions of ventricular size may impact the development of the underlying white matter. Hence, 3D cUS and fNIRS are promising bedside tools for monitoring the progression of GMH-IVH in preterm neonates.