Co-occurrence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Septo-Optic Dysplasia: A Neurodevelopmental Case Report.

Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by optic nerve hypoplasia, brain midline structure anomalies, and hypothalamic-pituitary axis hypoplasia. This case report aims to highlight the association between SOD and neurodevelopmental disorders, focusing on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in addition to the well-established link with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A six-year-old male diagnosed with SOD presented with behavioral concerns, including attention and impulse control issues. A comprehensive psychological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of ADHD and ruled out ASD. Ophthalmological assessments were integral to understanding the patient's condition. This case underscores the importance of recognizing neurodevelopmental disorders in individuals with SOD, with a particular focus on the less common association with ADHD. The co-occurrence of these conditions underscores the complexity of neurodevelopmental disorders and the need for comprehensive evaluation and management. Collaboration between ophthalmologists and mental health specialists is crucial for addressing the diverse needs of these patients. Early identification and intervention for ADHD are essential for optimal developmental outcomes. This case underscores the necessity for further research to elucidate the relationship between SOD and ADHD, emphasizing the importance of holistic patient care and interdisciplinary collaboration in managing individuals with SOD spectrum conditions.

Neurodevelopmental assessment of children with congenital heart diseases using Trivandrum developmental screening chart.

Objectives: Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are one of the most important congenital anomalies in children which have high-risk for neurodevelopment delay. This study was conducted to determine the proportion of developmental delay in children with CHD and comparison of delay between acyanotic and cyanotic heart diseases in children. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on children admitted in pediatric ward of rural hospital from 6 month to 6 years of age who are diagnosed with CHD by 2D ECHO and further classified into acyanotic congenital heart disease (ACHD) and cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD). Neurodevelopmental assessment was done using Trivandrum development screening chart (TDSC). Results: Out of total 50 children in study population, 24 children had TDSC delay, distribution as 11 (22%) ACHD and 13 (26%) CCHD. Out of 24 children in the age group of 0-3 years, 13 (54.2%) were ACHD and 11 (45.8%) were CCHD. Out of 26 children in the age group of 3-6 years, 15 (57.7%) were ACHD and 11 (42.3%) were CCHD. Among different ACHD included in the study population (0-3 years) children with ventricular septal defect (VSD) were maximum (n = 5) next in the decreasing order was atrial septal defect (ASD) (n = 3). ACHD included in the study population (3-6 years) children with VSD was maximum (n = 6) next in the order was ASD (n = 4). Proportion of delay in children with ACHD was 22% as compared to 26% in children with CCHD. Conclusion: There is a high proportion of neurodevelopmental delay in children with CHD which can be detected using TDSC which is a simple screening tool and can be used by any health-care professional without training for the assessment of neurodevelopmental outcome in these children. Delay was more in children with CCHD than ACHD.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of very low birth weight preterms in preschool childhood: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is a risk factor for a child's neurological development. Preterm children have unusual neurodevelopmental profiles with executive, visual-motor functions, fine and gross motor skills, language and behavior that affect learning. In this study, we analyzed the neurodevelopmental outcomes of a cohort of very low birth weight infants admitted to the Treviso Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) between 2014 and 2016 and followed up to preschool childhood. METHOD: This is a prospective cohort study. Infants were followed at birth and after NICU discharge at two- and four-year follow-ups. The two-year assessment was conducted with Bayley III, and at four years with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - III scales and Movement Assessment Battery for Children - 2. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 207 subjects with a mean gestational age of 28.9 weeks, and a mean birth weight of 1097.2 g. At two years of age, children without disabilities were 90 (59.6%), those with minor disabilities 47 (31.1%), and those with major disabilities 14 (9.3%); at four years, 58.4% of children without previous disabilities, presented problems with verbal tests and manual dexterity: aiming, grasping and balance at movement assessment. There was significant alteration in processing speed (p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between processing speed and manual dexterity (p < 0.001) and between processing speed and aiming and grasping (p = 0.0059). CONCLUSIONS: We found that more than half the children free of disability at two years, at four years had deficit often involving the oculo-motor coordination and processing speed. These motor profile alterations limit the expression of cognitive abilities and the achievement of expected school performance, thus resulting in behavioral disorders, typical of preterm children. Early professional follow-up could improve the expected educational outcomes.

Neurodevelopmental Assessment in Children With Congenital Heart Disease by Applying the Denver Developmental Screening Test 2: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Congenital heart conditions often cause developmental delays and impact neurodevelopment throughout one's lifetime. Hence, it is crucial to analyze the impact that heart defects have on the developing brain of a child. The present cross-sectional study was undertaken given the paucity of studies on the developmental status in children with congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in central India, where we tried to evaluate and compare the prevalence of neurodevelopmental delay in individuals with different congenital cardiac disorders. The objectives of our study were, firstly, to utilize the Denver Developmental Screening Test 2 (DDST-2) to evaluate the neurodevelopmental conditions in children with CHD; secondly, to compare the neurodevelopmental state of children with acyanotic CHD (ACHD) and cyanotic CHD (CCHD); and thirdly, to ascertain the prevalence of developmental delay in children with CHD. Methodology The study population comprised children aged six months to six years with two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography confirmation of CHD; those who were critically ill, had genetic syndromes, and were not willing to participate in the study were excluded. The neurodevelopmental assessment was conducted using the DDST-2. The screening looked at each patient's progress in four areas: personal-social, fine motor-adaptive, language, and gross motor. Based on these observations, results were obtained and interpreted. Result Out of 82 children with CHD, the prevalence rate of developmental delay according to the DDST-2 was found to be maximum in the gross motor domain and the least affected in the social domain, which was similar to the analysis of developmental delay by developmental quotient (DQ). The comparative analysis of developmental delay in ACHD and CCHD according to the DDST-2 showed a significant P value only in the gross motor domain. Conclusion The DDST-2 is a straightforward screening tool for determining how well-developed infants with CHD are. The gross motor domain is the most frequently damaged in ACHD and CCHD, followed by the fine motor domain, and the social domain is the least affected. Cyanotic CHD patients are more susceptible to developmental delay than children with ACHD.

Preventing Drift through Continued Co-Design with a First Nations Community: Refining the Prototype of a Tiered FASD Assessment.

As part of the broader Yapatjarrathati project, 47 remote health providers and community members attended a two-day workshop presenting a prototype of a culturally-safe, tiered neurodevelopmental assessment that can identify fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in primary healthcare. The workshop provided a forum for broad community feedback on the tiered assessment process, which was initially co-designed with a smaller number of key First Nations community stakeholders. Improvement in self-reported attendee knowledge, confidence, and perceived competence in the neurodevelopmental assessment process was found post-workshop, assessed through self-report questionnaires. Narrative analysis described attendee experiences and learnings (extracted from the workshop transcript), and workshop facilitator experiences and learnings (extracted from self-reflections). Narrative analysis of the workshop transcript highlighted a collective sense of compassion for those who use alcohol to cope with intergenerational trauma, but exhaustion at the cyclical nature of FASD. There was a strong desire for a shared responsibility for First Nations children and families and a more prominent role for Aboriginal Health Workers in the assessment process. Narrative analysis from workshop facilitator reflections highlighted learnings about community expertise, the inadvertent application of dominant cultural approaches throughout facilitation, and that greater emphasis on the First Nation's worldview and connection to the community was important for the assessment process to be maintained long-term. This study emphasised the benefit of continued co-design to ensure health implementation strategies match the needs of the community.

Adaptation of the INTERGROWTH-21st neurodevelopment assessment (INTER-NDA) to the context of the English-speaking Caribbean.

BACKGROUND: Adaptation of standardized early child development (ECD) assessments to low- and middle-income countries can be challenging because of culture-specific factors relating to language, content, context, and tool administration, and because the reliance of these tests on specialist healthcare professionals limits their scalability in low resource settings. METHODS: We report the cross-cultural adaptation of an international, standardized ECD instrument, the INTERGROWTH-21st Project Neurodevelopment Assessment (INTER-NDA), measuring cognitive, language, motor and behavioural outcomes in 2-year-olds, from a UK-based English-speaking population to the English-speaking Caribbean. Children aged 22-30 months were recruited from a pre-existing randomized controlled neurodevelopment intervention study in Grenada, West Indies. RESULTS: Eight of 37 INTER-NDA items (22%) were culturally and linguistically adapted for implementation in the Caribbean context. Protocol adherence across seven newly-trained non-specialist child development assessors was 89.9%; six of the seven assessors scored ≥80%. Agreement between the expert assessor and the non-specialist child development assessors was substantial (κ = 0.89 to 1.00 (95% CI [0.58, 1.00]). The inter-rater and test-retest reliability for non-specialist child development assessors was between κ = 0.99 -1.00 (95% CI [0.98, 0.99]) and κ = 0.76 - 1.00 (95% CI [0.33, 1.00]) across all INTER-NDA domains. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides evidence to support the use of the adapted INTER-NDA by trained, non-specialist assessors to measure ECD prevalence in the English-speaking Caribbean. It also provides a methodological template for the adaptation of child developmental measures to cultural and linguistic contexts that conform to the cultural standards of the countries in which they are utilized to aid in the measurement of neurodevelopmental impairments (NDIs) in a variety of global clinical settings.

Pre-operative neurodevelopmental assessment in young children undergoing cardiac surgery in central South Africa: feasibility and clinical value.

BACKGROUND: Pre-operative neurodevelopmental assessment in children with congenital heart disease may assist in the early identification of children at risk for or presenting with developmental delays. This study determined the pre-operative neurodevelopmental status of young children undergoing cardiac surgery in central South Africa. Feasibility and clinical value of pre-operative assessment were also evaluated. METHODS: Children 30 months and younger, scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery, were recruited into this prospective observational analytical study. Neurodevelopmental status was assessed using the Bayley-III and neuromotor examination. Variables associated with developmental performance were determined using ANOVAs. Sociodemographic and medical information were collected using a self-developed questionnaire. Pre-operative neurodevelopmental assessment was completed for 40 children at a median age of 7.4 months, including 30 children without and 10 with Down syndrome. Mean cardiac disease severity was moderate. The inclusion rate for pre-operative developmental assessment was 68%, limited mainly by environmental barriers. RESULTS: Children with Down syndrome had significantly poorer motor (p < 0.0001), cognitive (p < 0.0001) and language performance (p < 0.001) compared to children without Down syndrome. Apart from Down syndrome, disease severity (p = 0.02), younger age at first cardiac surgery (p < 0.01) and growth failure (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with poorer cognitive, language and motor performance, respectively. Just more than half of the children without (n = 16) and all children with Down syndrome (n = 10) scored below one standard deviation of the test mean score (scores < 85) on at least one of the Bayley-III subscales, meeting the criteria for referral to rehabilitation therapies, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and/or speech therapy. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative neurodevelopmental assessment may be of high importance in South Africa to identify children at developmental risk, facilitating early referral to rehabilitation therapies.

Active head lifting from supine in infancy in the general population: Red flag or not?

BACKGROUND: Previously it had been had reported that active head lifting from supine (AHLS) in high-risk infants was associated with lower cognitive scores in the second year. AHLS was generally accompanied by stereotyped leg movements. AIMS: To examine in a standardized way whether AHLS with or without stereotyped leg movements in the general population is associated with prenatal, perinatal, neonatal and socio-economic risk factors or with lower scores on concurrent infant tests. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study SUBJECTS: 1700 infants aged 2-18 months representative of the Dutch population. OUTCOME MEASURES: Infant Motor Profile (IMP) and Standardized Infant NeuroDevelopmental Assessment (SINDA). Assessments were video-recorded and included at the youngest ages 3min of behaviour in supine. AHLS and the presence of stereotyped leg movements were recorded. Standardized information on early risk factors was available. RESULTS: AHLS occurred at 4-9 months (prevalence per months: 1-14%; highest prevalence at 6 months). It was not associated with early risk factors or scores on infant tests. When AHLS was accompanied by stereotyped leg movements it was associated with a higher prevalence of an IMP-variation score < P15 (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.472 [95%CI 1.017; 6.006]). Stereotyped leg movements irrespective of AHLS were associated with more unfavourable total IMP scores and IMP performance scores (B coefficients -3.212 [-4.065; -2.360], -2.521 [-3.783; -1.259]) and IMP variation and SINDA neurological scores (ORs 5.432 [3.409; 8.655], 3.098 [1.548; 6.202]). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that AHLS is not a red flag. Rather its co-occurring stereotyped leg movements may signal less favourable neurodevelopment.

Mini-Review: Genetic Literacy and Engagement With Genetic Testing for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

As genomic and personalized medicine is integrated into healthcare, the need for patients to understand and make decisions about their own genetic makeup increases. Genetic literacy, or one's knowledge of genetic principles and their applications, measures an individual's ability to apply genetic information to their own treatment. Increased genetic literacy can improve comprehension of genetic tests and therefore increase participation in testing to detect and treat genetic disorders. It can also help providers understand and explain genetic information to their patients. However, current research indicates that the population's genetic literacy is generally low. Because many medical students, providers, and patients cannot adequately apply genetic information to their health, new and beneficial genetic technologies can be underused. More specifically, though genetic testing is recommended at the time of diagnosis for those affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as few as 22% of families undergo genetic testing after diagnosis. While ASD, a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social communication and restricted interests, has both genetic and environmental risk, genetic testing can give clinicians useful information and help families avoid potentially painful and costly tests, even when many families do not receive a "positive" genetic result through microarrays or gene panels. Improving genetic literacy in populations affected by ASD can also improve attitudes toward genetic testing, thereby ensuring access to genetic health risk information. In this mini review, we discuss the current literature describing genetic literacy and genetic testing rates for ASD.

Autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy in children: A commentary on the occurrence of autism in epilepsy; how it can present differently and the challenges associated with diagnosis.

Autism occurs more frequently in epilepsy, but is often not diagnosed. This could be due to a focus on medical issues, or because it presents differently from classic autism in its timing, phenotype, fluctuating profiles, and high level of comorbidity. Without a diagnosis, these children miss out on interventions that could modify outcome and their families and local teams will struggle to understand and support them. They also become a hidden group that does not participate in or benefit from research. This paper examined the issues and challenges of diagnosing autism in a population with a high-risk of epilepsy, drawing on more than 20 years' experience of a specialist multi-disciplinary Developmental Epilepsy Clinic (DEC).

Determinants of caregiver satisfaction with child neurodevelopmental assessment in neuropaediatric clinics.

BACKGROUND: In addition to patient evaluations, caregiver evaluations and experiences are important indicators of the quality of health services. The aim of this study was to examine determinants of caregiver satisfaction with and perceived benefit of child neurodevelopmental assessment in neuropaediatric clinics. METHODS: The study was conducted among caregivers of children and adolescents aged 4-18 years (N = 330) referred for neurodevelopmental assessment in two neuropaediatric clinics in the specialised health service in Northern Norway. The Generic Short Patient Experiences Questionnaire (GS-PEQ) for child psychiatric outpatient patients was distributed to caregivers immediately following the assessment, and two of its items were used as measurements of caregiver satisfaction with and perceived benefit of the assessment. RESULTS: Caregiver satisfaction with the assessment was correlated with a better general level of function in the child, higher socioeconomic status, Norwegian mother tongue, referral from a specialist, and the respondent being a woman. Higher perceived benefit of the assessment was correlated with higher socioeconomic status, Norwegian mother tongue, and younger age of the child. Regression analysis revealed that caregivers' perception that the assessment was suited to their child's situation and that there was good cooperation with other public services (e.g., primary care and social/educational services) seemed more fundamental to caregiver satisfaction with neuropaediatric clinics' services than any background variable. Younger age of the child, in addition to caregivers' perception that the assessment was suited to their child and receiving sufficient information about the child's diagnosis/afflictions, were essential to the perceived benefit of the assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiver satisfaction with child neurodevelopmental assessment in neuropaediatric clinics partly depends on variables not related to the assessment experience per se. An assessment that was suited to the child, good cooperation with other public services such as primary health care and social/educational services, and giving sufficient information about the child's diagnosis are essential to an overall positive caregiver evaluation of neurodevelopmental assessments.

Principles for Guiding the Selection of Early Childhood Neurodevelopmental Risk and Resilience Measures: HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study as an Exemplar.

The vast individual differences in the developmental origins of risk and resilience pathways combined with sophisticated capabilities of big data science increasingly point to the imperative of large, neurodevelopmental consortia to capture population heterogeneity and key variations in developmental trajectories. At the same time, such large-scale population-based designs involving multiple independent sites also must weigh competing demands. For example, the need for efficient, scalable assessment strategies must be balanced with the need for nuanced, developmentally sensitive phenotyping optimized for linkage to neural mechanisms and specification of common and distinct exposure pathways. Standardized epidemiologic batteries designed for this purpose such as PhenX (consensus measures for Phenotypes and eXposures) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox provide excellent "off the shelf" assessment tools that are well-validated and enable cross-study comparability. However, these standardized toolkits can also constrain ability to leverage advances in neurodevelopmental measurement over time, at times disproportionately advantaging established measures. In addition, individual consortia often expend exhaustive effort "reinventing the wheel," which is inefficient and fails to fully maximize potential synergies with other like initiatives. To address these issues, this paper lays forth an early childhood neurodevelopmental assessment strategy, guided by a set of principles synthesizing developmental and pragmatic considerations generated by the Neurodevelopmental Workgroup of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Planning Consortium. These principles emphasize characterization of both risk- and resilience-promoting processes. Specific measurement recommendations to HBCD are provided to illustrate application. However, principles are intended as a guiding framework to transcend any particular initiative as a broad neurodevelopmentally informed, early childhood assessment strategy for large-scale consortia science.

Neuroprotective effects of antenatal magnesium sulfate under inflammatory conditions in a Sprague-Dawley pregnant rat model.

OBJECTIVE: Antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) is recommended for fetal neuroprotection. The aim of this animal study was to assess the neuroprotective effect of in utero exposure to MgSO4, under inflammatory conditions. METHODS: Timed pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n = 29) received four intra-peritoneal (IP) injections of lipopolysaccharides (LPS; 200 µg/kg), combined with increasing concentrations of MgSO4 (25, 50 or 100 mg/kg, n = 19) or saline solution (SS; n = 10). In the second set of experiments, animals (n = 8) received a single IP injection of i) LPS (500 µg/kg), MgSO4 (50 mg/kg) and SS (n = 4) or ii) LPS (500 µg/kg), MgSO4 (50 mg/kg) and IL-6 (12 µg/kg) (n = 4). Neurodevelopmental outcomes of surviving pups (n = 212) were assessed by the open field and the rotarod tests. RESULTS: Pups' average weight at postnatal day (P) 25 was 75.77 g and 89.08 g in MgSO4 and control groups, respectively (p = 0.02). Pups in MgSO4 group have traveled a shorter distance and have shown reduced motor balance and coordination (p < 0.01). Average weight of pups receiving (LPS + MgSO4+ IL-6) was 92.26 g at P25, compared to 75.86 g in (LPS + MgSO4+SS) group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our model, MgSO4 induces pup's growth retardation and motor deficits, which may partly be related to a lower IL-6 circulating concentration.

The Semiology of Motor Disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorders as Highlighted from a Standardized Neuro-Psychomotor Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Altered motor performance has been described in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with disturbances in walking; posture, coordination, or arm movements, but some individuals with ASD show no impairment of motor skills. The neuro-developmental processes that underpin the performance of neuro-psychomotor functions have not been widely explored, nor is it clear whether there are neuro-psychomotor functions specifically affected in ASD. Our objective was to focus on the semiology of motor disorders among children with ASD using a neuro-developmental assessment tool. METHOD: Thirty-four children with ASD, with or without intellectual deficit (ID) were recruited in a child psychiatry department and Autism Resource Centers. Initial standard evaluations for diagnosis (psychiatric; psychological; psychomotor) were supplemented by a standardized assessment battery for neuro-developmental psychomotor functions (NP-MOT). RESULTS: The results of some NP-MOT tests differed between children with ASD with ID and those without. However, on the NP-MOT battery, neither of the two groups did well in the bi-manual and finger praxia tests (36 and 52% respectively failed). Manual and digital gnosopraxia showed some deficit (63 and 62% respectively failed). Postural deficits were found in tests for both static equilibrium (64%) and dynamic (52%). There were also difficulties in coordination between the upper and lower limbs in 58% of children. We found 75% failure in motor skills on the M-ABC test. Concerning muscular tone, significant laxity was observed in distal parts of the body (feet and hands), but hypertonia was observed in the proximal muscles of the lower limbs (reduced heel-ear angle). DISCUSSION: The results of manual and digital gnosopraxia tests point to a planning deficit in children with autism. A gesture programming deficit is also highlighted by the poor results in manual praxis, and by failures in the M-ABC tests despite prior training of the child. However, concerning global motor function, a significant difference was observed between children with and without ID. Our findings suggest a semiology of tone deregulation between proximal versus distal muscles, indeterminate tonic laterality, postural control deficit (proprioceptive), impairment of inter-hemispheric coordination (corpus callosum), and neurological soft signs such asdysdiadochokinesia, which leads us to hypothesize a general impairment of motor functions.

Early motor repertoire in very low birth weight infants in India is associated with motor development at one year.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on Prechtl's method of assessing General Movements (GMA) in young infants originate in Europe. AIM: To determine if motor behavior at an age of 3 months post term is associated with motor development at 12 months post age in VLBW infants in India. METHODS: 243 VLBW infants (135 boys, 108 girls; median gestational age 31wks, range 26-39wks) were video-recorded at a median age of 11wks post term (range 9-16wks). Certified and experienced observers assessed the videos by the "Assessment of Motor Repertoire - 2-5 Months". Fidgety movements (FMs) were classified as abnormal if absent, sporadic or exaggerated, and as normal if intermittently or continually present. The motor behaviour was evaluated by repertoire of co-existent other movements (age-adequacy) and concurrent motor repertoire. In addition, videos of 215 infants were analyzed by computer and the variability of the spatial center of motion (CSD) was calculated. The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales was used to assess motor development at 12 months. RESULTS: Abnormal FMs, reduced age adequacy, and an abnormal concurrent motor repertoire were significantly associated with lower Gross Motor and Total Motor Quotient (GMQ, TMQ) scores (p < 0.05). The CSD was higher in children with TMQ scores <90 (-1SD) than in children with higher TMQ scores (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Normal FMs (assessed by Gestalt perception) and a low variability of the spatial center of motion (assessed by computer-based video analysis) predicted higher Peabody scores in 12-month-old infants born in India with a very low birth weight.

Early general movements and brain magnetic resonance imaging at term-equivalent age in infants born <30weeks' gestation.

BACKGROUND: Neurodevelopmental assessments and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at term-equivalent age (TEA) predict developmental outcomes in preterm infants. However, the relationship between neurodevelopment prior to term and cerebral structure is currently unknown. AIMS: To examine the relationships between General Movements (GMs) assessed from birth to TEA and brain MRI at TEA in infants born <30weeks' gestation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. GMs (categorised as 'normal' or 'abnormal') were recorded weekly from birth to 32weeks, and at 34 and 36weeks' postmenstrual age. At TEA, GMs were assessed concurrently with brain MRI (using a validated scoring system). SUBJECTS: 149 infants born <30weeks' gestation were recruited from a tertiary hospital. RESULTS: 103 infants had MRI at TEA and GMs recorded. Abnormal GMs prior to term were associated with cortical grey matter abnormality (p<0.03), deep grey matter abnormality (p=0.02) and increased interhemispheric distance (p<0.02). Abnormal GMs at TEA (n=55/90) were associated with more global brain abnormality (p<0.01) and cortical grey matter abnormality (p=0.01), and decreased transcerebellar diameter (p=0.04) on concurrent brain MRI. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal GMs both prior to term and at TEA were associated with more marked brain abnormality, and smaller brains at TEA. Abnormal GMs are an early marker of brain abnormalities in very preterm infants.

Test-retest reliability of computer-based video analysis of general movements in healthy term-born infants.

BACKGROUND: A computer-based video analysis has recently been presented for quantitative assessment of general movements (GMs). This method's test-retest reliability, however, has not yet been evaluated. AIMS: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of computer-based video analysis of GMs, and to explore the association between computer-based video analysis and the temporal organization of fidgety movements (FMs). STUDY DESIGN: Test-retest reliability study. SUBJECTS: 75 healthy, term-born infants were recorded twice the same day during the FMs period using a standardized video set-up. OUTCOME MEASURES: The computer-based movement variables "quantity of motion mean" (Qmean), "quantity of motion standard deviation" (QSD) and "centroid of motion standard deviation" (CSD) were analyzed, reflecting the amount of motion and the variability of the spatial center of motion of the infant, respectively. In addition, the association between the variable CSD and the temporal organization of FMs was explored. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 1.1 and ICC 3.1) were calculated to assess test-retest reliability. RESULTS: The ICC values for the variables CSD, Qmean and QSD were 0.80, 0.80 and 0.86 for ICC (1.1), respectively; and 0.80, 0.86 and 0.90 for ICC (3.1), respectively. There were significantly lower CSD values in the recordings with continual FMs compared to the recordings with intermittent FMs (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed high test-retest reliability of computer-based video analysis of GMs, and a significant association between our computer-based video analysis and the temporal organization of FMs.

Effect of interleukin-6 receptor blockade on feto-maternal outcomes in a rat model of intrauterine inflammation.

AIM: To study the effect of blocking the inflammatory cascade with interleukin-6 receptor antibody (anti-IL-6R) on feto-maternal outcomes in a rat model. METHODS: Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 38) were injected intraperitoneally (day 22) (control, anti-IL-6R 30 µg/kg, lipopolysaccharide [LPS] 250 µg/kg or 500 µg/kg alone or combined with anti-IL-6R) followed by preterm caesarian performed 12 h later. Resuscitated pups (n = 179) were given to surrogate mothers. Primary outcomes were maternal and pup mortality. RESULTS: Fifty percent of pregnant rats died after LPS 500 µg/kg + anti-IL-6R injection but none in other groups. Neonatal mortality at 24 h was 63% and 86% in LPS 500 µg/kg and LPS 500 µg/kg + anti-IL-6R groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Surviving pups in the latter group presented a severe growth deficit compared to the LPS 500 µg/kg group (P < 0.01) and showed no difference with controls for open field testing. Maternal cytokine analysis after LPS 500 µg/kg + anti-IL-6R injection showed a tendency for increased IL-1 production (P = 0.06). CONCLUSION: Paradoxically, the association of pregnancy, inflammation and anti-IL-6R increases the inflammatory effects of LPS.

Clinical Application of Neurodevelopmental Assessment for Infants and Toddlers

Early detection and intervention is critical in improving prognosis of developmental disorders. Developmental delay can have many different causes and the clinical features of developmental delay are diverse according to its etiologic causes and severity. The vast and rapid growth of the child's neurobehavioral repertoire from birth through adolescence requires the physician's abundant experience, knowledge, and understanding of development. Here, we summarize instruments for use in neurodevelopmental assessment of infants and toddlers, focusing on motor development, which is the most frequent complaint listed in the developmental clinic.

Multiple Congenital Melanocytic Nevi Associated with Developmental Delay / 대한피부과학회지

Multiple congenital melanocytic nevi (MCMN), defined as the distribution of more than three small- or medium- sized congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) on the body without a giant CMN, is a rare disease comprising about 4% of patients with CMN. Because MCMN accompanies neurodevelopmental delay, including seizures in 25% of patients as well as the risk of malignant melanoma, it must be carefully followed-up. We report a case of MCMN with developmental delay in a 19-month-old Korean boy. He had a history of febrile seizure when he was 18 months old. He showed a speech delay after the 1-year-follow up, even though there was no evidence of neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the first visit. As MRI has a low sensitivity for detecting NCM in patients with MCMN older than 4-months, close neurodevelopmental assessments should be considered to provide a chance for early rehabilitation.