The development of a digital intelligence quotient scale: A new measuring instrument for primary school students in China.

The development of a Digital Intelligence Quotient (DQ) scale for primary school students is the basis for research on the DQ of primary school students, which helps to scientifically diagnose the level and the current average DQ among Chinese primary school students. This study developed and validated a scale applicable to the assessment of DQ in Chinese primary school students where, the initial scale was first constructed; Then 1109 valid datasets were collected through purposive sampling and divided into Sample A and Sample B; Sample A was subjected to exploratory factor analysis and Sample B was tested by confirmatory factor analysis; The final validated scale consists of 22 items in 7 dimensions: digital identity, digital use, digital safety, digital security, digital emotional intelligence, digital literacy and digital rights. The scale has high reliability and validity and thus can be used as a reliable instrument for assessing DQ in Chinese primary school students.

The relationship between the food intake frequency, weight status and intelligence in school children.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between food intake frequency, weight status, and intelligence among school children. A cross-sectional study involved 562 children (aged 6.3-12.7 years) randomly selected from five elementary schools in Taichung City, Taiwan. Demographic information was collected, and the children's body weight and height were measured to calculate their body mass index. A food frequency questionnaire assessed the participating children's dietary habits. Intelligence quotient scores were evaluated using Raven's colored progress matrices for first and second graders, and Raven's standard progressive matrices for third to sixth graders. This study found that there was no significant relationship in intelligence quotient scores between gender, birth order groups, and weight status. The higher consumption of pork liver, hamburgers, fruit juices, and the Taiwanese snack "Science Noodles" was associated with lower intelligence quotient scores among school children.

Five-year neurodevelopmental assessment of extremely preterm or extremely low birthweight infants: Association with school performance.

AIM: We investigated the associations between motor performance and IQ at 5 years of age and school difficulties and grade point averages (GPAs) at 18 years of age. Additionally, the accuracy of preschool IQ in predicting school difficulties was examined. METHODS: A nationwide follow-up study of children born in 1994-1995 who were <28 weeks of gestation or had a birthweight <1000 g. The Danish personal identification number was used to merge data from a national cohort study with population-based registries. Logistic regression analyses examined the associations between motor performance/IQ and school difficulties. Linear regression analyses and the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) were used to examine the relationship between IQ and GPAs. RESULTS: The study population comprised 248 children, 37% were classified with school difficulties. Motor performance and IQ were associated with school difficulties. The odds of having school difficulties increased as IQ decreased, and the same pattern was observed for GPAs. IQ predicted school difficulties, with an AUC of 0.80 (confidence interval: 0.74-0.86). CONCLUSION: Preschool motor performance and IQ were associated with school difficulties. Additionally, IQ was linked to GPAs. As a screening tool, the predictive ability of preschool IQ for academic difficulties was moderate/high in this cohort.

Exploring the complex link between obesity and intelligence: Evidence from systematic review, updated meta-analysis, and Mendelian randomization.

Obesity is a major public health concern associated with a higher risk of various comorbidities. Some studies have explored the impact of obesity on cognitive function and, conversely, how lower intelligence might increase the risk of later obesity. The aim of this study is to analyze a complex relationship between body mass index (BMI) and intelligence quotient (IQ), employing a comprehensive approach, including a systematic review, meta-analysis, and Mendelian randomization (MR). We extracted the data from Medline and Embase to identify relevant studies published since June 22, 2009. MR analysis relied on genetic databases such as the Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) and the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) to explore potential causal relationships. The systematic review and meta-analysis encompassed 34 and 17 studies, respectively. They revealed a substantial correlation between obesity and reduced IQ, particularly notable among school-age children (mean difference -5.26; 95% CI: -7.44 to -3.09). Notably, within the IQ subgroup, verbal IQ also exhibited a significant association with a mean difference of -7.73 (95% CI: -14.70 to -0.77) in school-age children. In contrast, the MR did not unveil a significant causal relationship between BMI and IQ, both in childhood and adulthood. This comprehensive analysis underscores a significant correlation between BMI and IQ, particularly in school-age children. However, the MR analysis implies a potentially weaker causal relationship. Future large-scale cohort studies should address potential confounding factors to provide further insights into the BMI-IQ relationship.

Epilepsy surgery below the age of 5 years: Are we still in time to preserve developmental and intellectual functions?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the pre- and post-operative developmental and intellectual functions in a cohort of patients who underwent surgery for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) before the age of 5 years. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and neurodevelopmental assessments of a cohort of 80 surgically treated pediatric patients with DRE. We included patients if they had at least one pre- and one post-surgical neuropsychological assessments; 27 met the inclusion criteria. We evaluated Developmental Quotient (DQ) and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) before and after surgery. We identified two groups based on psychological evaluation outcome: Group 1, with stable or improved developmental and intellectual functions, and Group 2, experiencing developmental and intellectual loss. RESULTS: The mean age at seizure onset was 1.2 ± 1.0 years, and the mean age at surgery was 2.9 ± 1.2 years. At the last follow-up (mean 4 years, SD ± 2), 19/27 (70%) patients were seizure- and drug-free; 18/27 patients (67%) fit in Group 1, and 9/27 (33%) fit in Group 2. The mean age at surgery was 2.6 years (SD ± 1.1; range 1.2-5.1) in Group 1 and 3.4 years in Group 2 (SD ± 1.1; range 1.6-5.0). Group 1 had a lower pre-operative DQ/IQ total score than Group 2 (median DQ/IQ respectively 82 vs 108, p = 0.05). Between pre- and post-assessments, we found that in Group 1, Performance scores improved (82.7 vs 102, p = 0.001), while in Group 2, the Total and Verbal scores worsened (respectively 108 vs 75, p = 0.008, and 100 vs 76, p = 0.021). SIGNIFICANCE: Our study's results emphasize the positive impact of surgery before the age of 5 years on developmental and intellectual outcomes. Despite limitations such as a small sample size, lack of a control group, and diverse etiologies, our findings support the crucial role of early intervention in preserving or enhancing developmental and intellectual functions in young patients with DRE. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This retrospective study, conducted at the Bambino Gesù Children Hospital in Italy, reports neuropsychological and developmental and/or cognitive data for children undergoing early epilepsy surgery (before the age of 5). It found that children with lower developmental or cognitive profiles gained the highest scores on post-operative neuropsychological evaluations. This study provides information on the potential benefits of early surgery in shortening the duration of epilepsy, preventing or arresting deterioration, and enhancing plasticity and recovery.

Consistently lower volumes across thalamus nuclei in very premature-born adults.

Lasting thalamus volume reduction after preterm birth is a prominent finding. However, whether thalamic nuclei volumes are affected differentially by preterm birth and whether nuclei aberrations are relevant for cognitive functioning remains unknown. Using T1-weighted MR-images of 83 adults born very preterm (≤ 32 weeks' gestation; VP) and/or with very low body weight (≤ 1,500 g; VLBW) as well as of 92 full-term born (≥ 37 weeks' gestation) controls, we compared thalamic nuclei volumes of six subregions (anterior, lateral, ventral, intralaminar, medial, and pulvinar) across groups at the age of 26 years. To characterize the functional relevance of volume aberrations, cognitive performance was assessed by full-scale intelligence quotient using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and linked to volume reductions using multiple linear regression analyses. Thalamic volumes were significantly lower across all examined nuclei in VP/VLBW adults compared to controls, suggesting an overall rather than focal impairment. Lower nuclei volumes were linked to higher intensity of neonatal treatment, indicating vulnerability to stress exposure after birth. Furthermore, we found that single results for lateral, medial, and pulvinar nuclei volumes were associated with full-scale intelligence quotient in preterm adults, albeit not surviving correction for multiple hypotheses testing. These findings provide evidence that lower thalamic volume in preterm adults is observable across all subregions rather than focused on single nuclei. Data suggest the same mechanisms of aberrant thalamus development across all nuclei after premature birth.

Impaired neurogenesis induced by fluoride via the Notch1 signaling and effects of carvacrol intervention.

The negative regulation on neurogenesis has been implicated in fluoride neurotoxicity, while the evidence is limited. To explore whether fluoride interferes with neurogenesis via the Notch1 signaling and the potential alleviation effects of carvacrol (CAR), we conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments, as well as epidemiological analyses in this study. The results showed that urinary fluoride levels and circulating Notch1 levels were associated with IQ levels in boys. NaF-treated rats had fewer neurons, lower densities of dendritic spines, depressed neurogenesis, and impaired learning and memory abilities. In vitro experiments using undifferentiated PC12 cells mimicking neurogenesis revealed that NaF suppressed differentiation and neurite outgrowth. Besides, Notch1 signaling activation was detected in vivo and in vitro. The latter was confirmed using an in vitro model supplemented with DAPT, a potent Notch1 inhibitor. Furthermore, CAR supplementation negatively regulated NICD1 and Hes1 expressions and promoted hippocampal neurogenesis, thereby improving neurological functions in NaF-treated rats. These findings indicated that the inhibition of neurogenesis in hippocampi induced by fluoride via Notch1 signaling activation may be one of the underlying mechanisms of its neurotoxicity, and that CAR significantly alleviated the neurotoxicity of NaF via the Notch1 signaling.

Neurobiology of cognitive abilities in early childhood autism.

This perspective considers complexities in the relationship between impaired cognitive abilities and autism from a maturational, developmental perspective, and aims to serve as a helpful guide for the complex and growing investigation of cognitive abilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Low Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and ASD are frequently co-occurring. About 37% of 8-year old children and 48% of 4-year old children diagnosed with ASD also have Intellectual Disability, with IQ below 70. And, low IQ in early infancy, including below 1 year of age, carries a 40% greater chance of receiving ASD diagnosis in early childhood. We consider the evidence that may explain this co-occurrence, including the possibility that high IQ may "rescue" the social communication issues, as well as the possible role of critical periods during growth and development. We consider how early low IQ may subsume a part of a subgroup of individuals with ASD, in particular, those diagnosed with autism in very early childhood, and we provide neurobiological evidence in support of this subtype. Moreover, we distinguish the concept of early low IQ from the delay in speech onset in preschool and school-aged children, based on (i) age and (ii) impairments in both verbal and non-verbal domains. The etiology of these early-diagnosed, early low IQ ASD cases is different from later-diagnosed, average or higher-IQ cases, and from children with speech delay onset. Given recent interest in formulating new subtypes of autism, rather than continuing to conceive of ASD as a spectrum, as well as new subtypes that vary in the degree of severity along the spectrum, we identify gaps in knowledge and directions for future work in this complex and growing area.

Family screening for neurodevelopmental problems and its associations with child cognitive function enable tailored treatment for childhood obesity.

AIM: To identify neurodevelopmental disorders in children with obesity, and investigate associations to cognitive functions as well as parents' self-reported neurodevelopmental problems. METHODS: Eighty children were included at two outpatient obesity clinics in Sweden 2018-2019. Of these, 50 children without previously diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders were screened, and so were their parents. Children who screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems were referred to a specialised psychiatry unit for further diagnosis. Test results of cognitive functioning were compared with the norm and between study groups by neurodevelopmental diagnoses. RESULTS: Of the screened families, 17/50 children were diagnosed by the psychiatric unit with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 15/82 parents screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems. Having a mother who screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems was associated with child ADHD (p < 0.05). The children's full-scale intelligence quotient (92.86 ± 12.01, p < 0.001) and working memory index (90.62 ± 12.17, p < 0.001) were lower than the norm. Working memory index was lower in children with ADHD compared to without ADHD: 84.76 ± 9.58 versus 94.09 ± 12.29 (p ≤ 0.01). Executive constraints were associated with verbal deviances. CONCLUSION: Increased awareness is needed about the overlap between neurodevelopmental problems and obesity in obesity clinics.

Copy-number variants and polygenic risk for intelligence confer risk for autism spectrum disorder irrespective of their effects on cognitive ability.

Introduction: Rare copy number variants (CNVs) and polygenic risk for intelligence (PRS-IQ) both confer susceptibility for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but have opposing effects on cognitive ability. The field has struggled to disentangle the effects of these two classes of genomic variants on cognitive ability from their effects on ASD susceptibility, in part because previous studies did not include controls with cognitive measures. We aim to investigate the impact of these genomic variants on ASD risk while adjusting for their known effects on cognitive ability. Methods: In a cohort of 8,426 subjects with ASD and 169,804 controls with cognitive assessments, we found that rare coding CNVs and PRS-IQ increased ASD risk, even after adjusting for their effects on cognitive ability. Results: Bottom decile PRS-IQ and CNVs both decreased cognitive ability but had opposing effects on ASD risk. Models combining both classes of variants showed that the effects of rare CNVs and PRS-IQ on ASD risk and cognitive ability were largely additive, further suggesting that susceptibility for ASD is conferred independently from its effects on cognitive ability. Despite imparting mostly additive effects on ASD risk, rare CNVs and PRS-IQ showed opposing effects on core and associated features and developmental history among subjects with ASD. Discussion: Our findings suggest that cognitive ability itself may not be the factor driving the underlying liability for ASD conferred by these two classes of genomic variants. In other words, ASD risk and cognitive ability may be two distinct manifestations of CNVs and PRS-IQ. This study also highlights the challenge of understanding how genetic risk for ASD maps onto its dimensional traits.

A newborn Screening Programme for Inborn errors of metabolism in Galicia: 22 years of evaluation and follow-up.

BACKGROUND: There is a notable lack of harmonisation in newborn screening (NBS) programmes worldwide. The Galician programme for early detection of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) was one of the first NBS programmes in Europe to incorporate mass spectrometry (July 2000). This programme currently screens for 26 IEMs in dried blood and urine samples collected 24-72 h after birth. RESULTS: In its 22-year history, this programme has analysed samples from 440,723 neonates and identified 326 cases of IEM with a prevalence of 1:1351. The most prevalent IEMs were hyperphenylalaninaemia (n = 118), followed by medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD, n = 26), galactosaemia (n = 20), and cystinurias (n = 43). Sixty-one false positives and 18 conditions related to maternal pathologies were detected. Urine samples have been identified as a useful secondary sample to reduce the rate of false positives and identify new defects. There were 5 false negatives. The overall positive value was 84.23%. The fatality rate over a median of 12.1 years of follow-up was 2.76%. The intelligence quotient of patients was normal in 95.7% of cases, and school performance was largely optimal, with pedagogic special needs assistance required in < 10% of cases. Clinical onset of disease preceded diagnosis in 4% of cases. The age at which first NBS report is performed was reduced by 4 days since 2021. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the benefits of collecting urine samples, reduce NBS reporting time and expanding the number of IEMs included in NBS programmes.

Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, fetal thyroid function, and intelligence quotient at 7 years of age: Findings from the Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) influences neurodevelopment. Thyroid homeostasis disruption is thought to be a possible underlying mechanism. However, current epidemiological evidence remains inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the effects of prenatal PFAS exposure on the intelligence quotient (IQ) of school-aged children and assess the potential mediating role of fetal thyroid function. METHODS: The study included 327 7-year-old children from the Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study (SMBCS). Cord serum samples were analyzed for 12 PFAS concentrations and 5 thyroid hormone (TH) levels. IQ was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Chinese Revised (WISC-CR). Generalized linear models (GLM) and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) were used to evaluate the individual and combined effects of prenatal PFAS exposure on IQ. Additionally, the impact on fetal thyroid function was examined using a GLM, and a mediation analysis was conducted to explore the potential mediating roles of this function. RESULTS: The molar sum concentration of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (ΣPFCA) in cord serum was significantly negatively associated with the performance IQ (PIQ) of 7-year-old children (ß = -6.21, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: -12.21, -0.21), with more pronounced associations observed among girls (ß = -9.57, 95 % CI: -18.33, -0.81) than in boys. Negative, albeit non-significant, cumulative effects were noted when considering PFAS mixture exposure. Prenatal exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid was positively associated with the total thyroxine/triiodothyronine ratio. However, no evidence supported the mediating role of thyroid function in the link between PFAS exposure and IQ. CONCLUSIONS: Increased prenatal exposure to PFASs negatively affected the IQ of school-aged children, whereas fetal thyroid function did not serve as a mediator in this relationship.

The maps of meaning consciousness theory.

In simple terms, consciousness is constituted by multiple goals for action and the continuous adjudication of such goals to implement action, which is referred to as the maps of meaning (MoM) consciousness theory. The MoM theory triangulates through three parallel corollaries: action (behavior), mechanism (morphology/pathophysiology), and goals (teleology). (1) An organism's consciousness contains fluid, nested goals. These goals are not intentionality, but intersectionality, via the Darwinian byproduct of embodiment meeting the world, i.e., Darwinian inclusive fitness or randomization and then survival of the fittest. (2) These goals are formed via a gradual descent under inclusive fitness and are the abstraction of a "match" between the evolutionary environment and the organism. (3) Human consciousness implements the brain efficiency hypothesis, genetics, epigenetics, and experience-crystallized efficiencies, not necessitating best or objective but fitness, i.e., perceived efficiency based on one's adaptive environment. These efficiencies are objectively arbitrary but determine the operation and level of one's consciousness, termed as extreme thrownness. (4) Since inclusive fitness drives efficiencies in the physiologic mechanism, morphology, and behavior (action) and originates one's goals, embodiment is necessarily entangled to human consciousness as it is at the intersection of mechanism or action (both necessitating embodiment) occurring in the world that determines fitness. (5) Perception is the operant process of consciousness and is the de facto goal adjudication process of consciousness. Goal operationalization is fundamentally efficiency-based via one's unique neuronal mapping as a byproduct of genetics, epigenetics, and experience. (6) Perception involves information intake and information discrimination, equally underpinned by efficiencies of inclusive fitness via extreme thrownness. Perception is not a 'frame rate' but Bayesian priors of efficiency based on one's extreme thrownness. (7) Consciousness and human consciousness are modular (i.e., a scalar level of richness, which builds up like building blocks) and dimensionalized (i.e., cognitive abilities become possibilities as the emergent phenomena at various modularities such as the stratified factors in factor analysis). (8) The meta dimensions of human consciousness seemingly include intelligence quotient, personality (five-factor model), richness of perception intake, and richness of perception discrimination, among other potentialities. (9) Future consciousness research should utilize factor analysis to parse modularities and dimensions of human consciousness and animal models.

Assessing harmonized intelligence measures in a multinational study.

Studies examining the neurocognitive and circuit-based etiology of psychiatric illness are moving toward inclusive, global designs. A potential confounding effect of these associations is general intelligence; however, an internationally validated, harmonized intelligence quotient (IQ) measure is not available. We describe the procedures used to measure IQ across a five-site, multinational study and demonstrate the harmonized measure's cross-site validity. Culturally appropriate intelligence measures were selected: four short-form Wechsler intelligence tests (Brazil, Netherlands, South Africa, United States) and the Binet Kamat (India). Analyses included IQ scores from 255 healthy participants (age 18-50; 42% male). Regression analyses tested between-site differences in IQ scores, as well as expected associations with sociodemographic factors (sex, socioeconomic status, education) to assess validity. Harmonization (e.g., a priori selection of tests) yielded the compatibility of IQ measures. Higher IQ was associated with higher socioeconomic status, suggesting good convergent validity. No association was found between sex and IQ at any site, suggesting good discriminant validity. Associations between higher IQ and higher years of education were found at all sites except the United States. Harmonized IQ scores provide a measure of IQ with evidence of good validity that can be used in neurocognitive and circuit-based studies to control for intelligence across global sites.

Intelligence and its effects on environmental decline: A worldwide analysis.

The research investigates the relationship between intelligence quotient (IQ) and environmental degradation, aiming to understand how cognitive abilities influence environmental outcomes across different nations and time periods. The objective is to examine the impact of intelligence quotient (IQ) on environmental indicators such as carbon emissions, ecological demand, and the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), seeking insights to inform environmental policy and stewardship. The study utilizes statistical techniques including Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Two Stage Least Squares (2SLS), and Iteratively Weighted Least Squares (IWLS) to analyze data from 147 nations over the years 2000-2017. These methods are applied to explore the relationship between IQ and environmental metrics while considering other relevant variables. The findings reveal unexpected positive associations between human intelligence quotient and carbon emissions, as well as ecological demand, challenging conventional notions of "delay discounting." Additionally, variations in the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis are identified across different pollutants, highlighting the roles of governance and international commitments in mitigating emissions. The study concludes by advocating for the adoption of a "delay discounting culture" to address environmental challenges effectively. It underscores the complex interactions between intelligence, governance, and population dynamics in shaping environmental outcomes, emphasizing the need for targeted policies to achieve sustainability objectives.

Cognitive function and skeletal size and mineral density at age 6-7 years: Findings from the Southampton Women's Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Poor cognitive function and osteoporosis commonly co-exist in later life. In women, this is often attributed to post-menopausal estrogen loss. However, a common early life origin for these conditions and the associations between cognitive function and bone mineral density (BMD) in childhood have not previously been explored. We examined these relationships at age 6-7 years in the Southampton Women's Survey (SWS) mother-offspring cohort. METHODS: Child occipitofrontal circumference (OFC), a proxy for brain volume, intelligence quotient (IQ) [Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence] and visual recognition and working memory [CANTAB® Delayed Matching to Sample (DMS) and Spatial Span Length (SSP), respectively] were assessed. Whole-body-less-head (WBLH) and lumbar spine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [Hologic Discovery] (DXA) were performed to measure bone area (BA), bone mineral content (BMC), BMD and bone mineral apparent density (BMAD). Linear regression was used to examine associations between age and sex standardized variables (ß represent standard deviation (SD) difference per SD of cognitive function). RESULTS: DXA was performed in 1331 children (mean (SD) age 6.8 (0.33) years, 51.5 % male), with OFC, IQ, DMS and SSP assessed in 1250, 551, 490 and 460, respectively. OFC (ß = 0.25 SD/SD, 95%CI 0.20,0.30), IQ (ß = 0.11 SD/SD, 95%CI 0.02,0.19), and DMS (ß = 0.11, SD/SD, 95%CI 0.01,0.20) were positively associated with WBLH BA, with similar associations for lumbar spine BA. OFC and DMS were also positively associated with WBLH BMC, but only OFC was associated with BMD (WBLH: ß = 0.38 SD/SD, 95%CI 0.33,0.43; LS: ß = 0.19 SD/SD, 95%CI 0.13,0.24). CONCLUSION: Childhood brain volume was positively associated with measures of skeletal size and BMD, whereas IQ and memory were associated only with skeletal size. These findings suggest that common early life determinants for skeletal growth and BMD and cognitive function should be explored to identify potential early-life approaches to preventing osteoporosis and cognitive decline.

Evaluation of academic performance and social integration of children operated for hydrocephalus in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Low intelligence quotient (IQ) and delayed psychomotor development (DPD) are formidable complications of hydrocephalus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the academic performance and social integration of children operated on for hydrocephalus in Cameroon. METHOD: The authors present a cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection from January 2010 to May 2020. All children less than 10 years of age who had undergone surgery for a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt indicated for hydrocephalus with a post-operative evolution of 7 to 10 years and who were attending school were included. Academic performance was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC IV), and social integration was assessed using the Vineland II score. RESULTS: Of the 45 children aged 7 to 10 years who attended school and were followed-up, the sex ratio was 1.25 in favor of males. 77.8% of these children had a malformation with paralysis being the most common functional sequela (29%). 73.3% of our patients had good social integration. Fifty-three percent of patients had reduced academic performance, with non-verbal performance being the most frequent (62.2%). Long-term memory was the most impaired, with 73.3% having a very low speed of information processing. Non-verbal performance was the most affected (62.2%) particularly long-term memory. Forty percent had an IQ below 70. The statistically significant determinants of social integration were age, sex, malformative etiology, and good psychomotor development, and the statistically significant determinants of educational delay were age, malformative etiology, IQ below 70, and time to care. Academic performance was reduced in more than half of our patients, but most of them had good social integration. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and management improve the chances of good psychomotor development and IQ.

Studying the relationship between intelligence quotient and schizophrenia polygenic scores in a family design with first-episode psychosis population.

BACKGROUND: The intelligence quotient (IQ) of patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and their unaffected relatives may be related to the genetic burden of schizophrenia (SCZ). The polygenic score approach can be useful for testing this question. AIM: To assess the contribution of the polygenic risk scores for SCZ (PGS-SCZ) and polygenic scores for IQ (PGS-IQ) to the individual IQ and its difference from the mean IQ of the family (named family-IQ) through a family-based design in an FEP sample. METHODS: The PAFIP-FAMILIES sample (Spain) consists of 122 FEP patients, 131 parents, 94 siblings, and 176 controls. They all completed the WAIS Vocabulary subtest for IQ estimation and provided a DNA sample. We calculated PGS-SCZ and PGS-IQ using the continuous shrinkage method. To account for relatedness in our sample, we performed linear mixed models. We controlled for covariates potentially related to IQ, including age, years of education, sex, and ancestry principal components. RESULTS: FEP patients significantly deviated from their family-IQ. FEP patients had higher PGS-SCZ than other groups, whereas the relatives had intermediate scores between patients and controls. PGS-IQ did not differ between groups. PGS-SCZ significantly predicted the deviation from family-IQ, whereas PGS-IQ significantly predicted individual IQ. CONCLUSIONS: PGS-SCZ discriminated between different levels of genetic risk for the disorder and was specifically related to patients' lower IQ in relation to family-IQ. The genetic background of the disorder may affect neurocognition through complex pathological processes interacting with environmental factors that prevent the individual from reaching their familial cognitive potential.

Influence of parental education on the intelligence quotient profiles and socially adaptive behavior of school-age children with autism spectrum disorder in eastern China. / 父母教育水平对中国东部地区孤独症谱系障碍学龄儿童智力及社会适应行为的影响.

Intelligence quotient (IQ) and adaptive behavior are the influencing factors of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children entering mainstream schools. This study explored the association between parental education level, IQ, and adaptive behavior in ASD groups. A total of 257 school-age ASD children were enrolled in our study from January 2017 to June 2021. Their parents completed a standard demographic form, including age at autism diagnosis, gender, school placement, and parents' educational background. The Chinese version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was completed by a certified assessor for each enrolled child. Parents were interviewed on adaptive behavior using the Chinese version of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Second Edition (ABAS-II). The average IQ of school-age ASD children was 76.88 (standard deviation (SD)=22.62) and boys had higher IQ levels than girls. The IQ was positively correlated with age. The General Adaptive Composite (GAC) score was 82.47 (SD=15.86) and adaptive behavior did not increase with age. ASD children who attended mainstream schools had better adaptive behavior profiles than other children. The mother's education level showed a significant correlation with the IQ and adaptive behavior of autistic children, while the father's education level did not. Consequently, better training and support for parents may help autistic children enter mainstream schools, with adaptive training being the most urgently required skill for parents.

Malingering assessment after severe traumatic brain injury in forensic psychology with a potential embedded symptom validity indicator of Symptom Checklist 90.

Objective: Malingering of neuropsychological damage is common among traumatic brain injury patients pursuing disability compensation in forensic contexts. There is an urgent need to explore differences in neuropsychological assessment outcomes with different levels of cooperation. Methods: A total of 420 participants with severe traumatic brain injury were classified into malingering group, partial cooperation group, and complete cooperation group according to the Binomial forced-choice digit memory test. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, event-related potential component, and Symptom Checklist 90 were applied subsequently to assess the psychological status of participants. Results: Participants in the malingering group presented lower scores in the binomial forced-choice digit memory test and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, lower P3 amplitude, and simultaneously higher scores in the Symptom Checklist 90 than the other two groups. The actual intelligence quotient of participants with malingering tendencies ranged mostly between normal and marginal damage, and they often reported elevated whole scale scores in the Symptom Checklist 90. The Cooperation Index (defined as the ratio of positive symptom distress index to global severity index, CI) was proposed and validated to function as an embedded validity indicator of the Symptom Checklist 90, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.938. When valued at 1.28, CI has the highest classification ability in differentiating malingering from non-malingering. Combined with the CI and P3 amplitude, the area under the ROC curve for malingering diagnosis further reached 0.952. Conclusion: Any non-optimal effort in a forensic context will lead to unexpected deviation in psychology evaluation results. CI is a potential candidate to act as an embedded validity indicator of the Symptom Checklist 90. The combination of CI and P3 amplitude can help to identify malingering in participants after severe traumatic brain injury.