Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on newborn neurodevelopment: a pilot study.

The COVID-19 pandemic can seize the opportunity to explore the hypothesis of prenatal exposure to viral infections increases the risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Advancing our knowledge in this regard would improve primary prevention of mental disorders in children. For this pilot study, six-week-old infants born to mothers exposed (n = 21) or unexposed (n = 21) to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were assessed in Santander-Cantabria (Spain) using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Groups comparisons were performed to explore the effects that infection and timing of exposure (in terms of the three trimesters of pregnancy). The infants' competencies and performances on the NBAS were generally similar in the exposed and unexposed to SARS-CoV-2 groups. The most significant difference found was a less optimally response to cuddliness (item on the state regulation domain) particularly in infants born to mothers exposed in the third trimester of pregnancy, and in pull-to-sit (item on the motor system domain). Although our interpretations must be careful, these preliminary results highlight the possible association between prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure and poorer development in motor skills and infant interactive behavior. Further longitudinal studies are needed to explore these relationships and disentangle the biological mechanisms implicated.

Las consecuencias neurobiológicas del maltrato infantil y su impacto en la funcionalidad del eje HHA / The neurobiological consequences of child abuse and its impact on the functionality of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis / Les conseqüències neurobiològiques del maltractament infantil I el seu impacte en la funcionalitat de l'eix Hipotàlem-Hipofisiari-Adrenal (HHA)

Este artículo pretende revisar algunos de los mecanismos neurobiológicos afectados por el maltrato infantil, poniendo especial énfasis en la función del eje HHA, el principal mecanismo de regulación del estrés en humanos. Este eje HHA parece estar desregulado en aquellas personas que han sufrido maltrato infantil, mostrándose hiporeactivo frente situaciones de estrés psicosocial medidas mediante el Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Todas estas alteraciones podrían estar asociadas a cambios epigenéticos que modifican la expresión génica de algunos genes de interés implicados en la regulación del eje HHA, como el gen del receptor de glucocorticoides (NR3C1). Además, se discute la gran relevancia que tienen algunos aspectos como los periodos evolutivos de exposición al maltrato, tiempo de exposición a este, la coexistencia de diferentes tipos de maltrato, la severidad o el sexo del sujeto

This article aims to review some of the neurobiological mechanisms affected by child abuse, emphasizing the function of the HPA axis, the main mechanism for regulating stress in humans. People who have suffered child abuse seem to have a deregulated HPA axis and to be hypo reactive to situations of psychosocial stress, according to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). All these alterations could be associated with epigenetic changes that modify the gene expression of the genes of interest involved in the regulation of the HPA axis, such as the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1). Besides, the great relevance of some aspects such as the evolutionary periods of exposure to mistreatment, the time of exposure, the coexistence of different types of mistreatment, the severity or the sex of the subject is discussed

Aquest article pretén revisar alguns dels mecanismes neurobiològics afectats pel maltractament infantil, posant especial èmfasi en la funció de l'eix HHA, el principal mecanisme de regulació de l'estrès en els éssers humans. Aquest eix HHA sembla estar desregulat en aquelles persones que han patit maltractament infantil; així, es mostra hiporeactiu enfront de situacions d'estrès psicosocial mesurades amb el Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Totes aquestes alteracions podrien estar associades a canvis epigenètics que modifiquen l'expressió gènica d'alguns gens d'interès implicats en la regulació de l'eix HHA, com el gen del receptor de glucocorticoides (NR3C1). A més, es discuteix la gran rellevància que tenen alguns aspectes com els períodes evolutius d'exposició al maltractament, el temps d'exposició, la coexistència de diferents tipus de maltractament, la severitat o el sexe del subjecte

A systematic review of the complex organization of human cognitive domains and their heritability / Una revisión sistemática de la organización compleja de los dominios cognitivos humanos y su heredabilidad

BACKGROUND: Models of cognition propose a hierarchical structure for human cognitive processes, in which the sequences of human action are organized into parts or subunits of analysis that can be grouped into progressively more complex, inclusive higher-order functions. This organizational structure from partial to whole may be reflected in the neural representations that underlie human behaviour, and in its genetic underpinnings. The objective of the present study was to explore a putative hierarchical organization of the genetic influences underlying cognitive domains. METHOD: Thirty four studies of the heritability of cognition on population-based samples were reviewed, which included measures of intelligence, verbal and performance abilities, memory, working memory and processing speed. RESULTS: Specific cognitive domains showed diverse proportions of genetic underpinnings such that higher order cognitive functions present high heritability estimates, whereas lower-order functions respond to small/moderate heritability estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Based on current understanding of the developmental processes of the neurobiological substrates of human cognition, the genetic contributions to cognitive abilities seem to be organized in line with the ontogenic maturation of the brain. We discuss the large genetic control of the combinatory capacity of basic cognitive functions, and its interaction with environmental influences

ANTECEDENTES: se ha propuesto que la estructura de la cognición humana respondería a un sistema jerárquico, donde las secuencias propias a una acción se organizarían desde sub-unidades de análisis hasta funciones de nivel superior relativamente complejas. Esta estructura organizacional estaría reflejada en las representaciones neurales que subyacen al comportamiento humano, así como también en sus sustratos genéticos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue explorar la posible organización jerárquica de las influencias genéticas subyacentes a los dominios cognitivos humanos. MÉTODO: se revisaron treinta y cuatro estudios de la heredabilidad de la cognición en muestras de la población general, que incluyeron medidas de inteligencia, habilidades verbales y manipulativas, memoria, memoria de trabajo y velocidad de procesamiento. RESULTADOS: diversos dominios cognitivos mostraron distintas proporciones de influencias genéticas, con las mayores estimaciones de heredabilidad halladas para las funciones cognitivas de nivel superior y las menores estimaciones para las funciones de orden medio o inferior. CONCLUSIONES: tomando como referencia los conocimientos actuales acerca del neurodesarrollo humano, las contribuciones genéticas de las habilidades cognitivas parecen organizarse paralelamente al crecimiento ontogénico del cerebro. Se discuten estos resultados en relación a la interacción entre el control genético de las funciones cognitivas y sus influencias ambientales

A systematic review of the complex organization of human cognitive domains and their heritability.

BACKGROUND: Models of cognition propose a hierarchical structure for human cognitive processes, in which the sequences of human action are organized into parts or subunits of analysis that can be grouped into progressively more complex, inclusive higher-order functions. This organizational structure from partial to whole may be reflected in the neural representations that underlie human behaviour, and in its genetic underpinnings. The objective of the present study was to explore a putative hierarchical organization of the genetic influences underlying cognitive domains. METHOD: Thirty four studies of the heritability of cognition on population-based samples were reviewed, which included measures of intelligence, verbal and performance abilities, memory, working memory and processing speed. RESULTS: Specific cognitive domains showed diverse proportions of genetic underpinnings such that higher-order cognitive functions present high heritability estimates, whereas lower-order functions respond to small/moderate heritability estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Based on current understanding of the developmental processes of the neurobiological substrates of human cognition, the genetic contributions to cognitive abilities seem to be organized in line with the ontogenic maturation of the brain. We discuss the large genetic control of the combinatory capacity of basic cognitive functions, and its interaction with environmental influences.

Infancia y vulerabilidad para la enfermedad mental de niño y del adulto: una visión desde los genes / Infancy and Vulnerability for the mental illness in child and adult: a vision from the genes

El peso relativo en el orgen de la enfermedad mental de las experiencias vitales, por un lado y de ciertos procesos biológicos endógenos relativamente independientes del ambiente, por otro, sigue siendo un tema de debate en la comprensión de la etiología de la enfermedad mental. Sin embargo, las evidencias científicas más recientes ponen de manifiesto que el perfil genético de un individuo podría constituir unelemento en continua interacción con el ambiente, especialmene durante la infancia y adolescencia y determinar, al menos en parte, la exposición diferencial de la persona a factores de riesgo ambiental para la enfermedad mental (AU)

The relative effect of life events on the origin of mental illness, on the one hand, and certain endogenous bioligcal processes considered as relatively independent from the environment, in the other hand, continue to be theme of debate in the understanding of the aetiology of mental illness. However, recent scientiic evidences suggest that the genetic profile of and individual could constitute and element in continuous interaction with the environment, especially during childhood and adolescence, and determine, at least in part, the differential exposition of the individual to environmental risk factors form mental illness (AU)