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Sleep spindle activity and cognitive performance in healthy children

2013-06-17T02:31:01Z

Title: Sleep spindle activity and cognitive performance in healthy children Author: Chatburn, Alex; Coussens, Scott Wade; Lushington, Kurt; Kennedy, Declan; Baumert, Mathias; Kohler, Mark John Abstract: STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between indices of sleep spindle activity and cognitive performance in a sample of healthy children. DESIGN: Correlational. Intelligence (Stanford-Binet) and neurocognitive functioning (NEPSY) were assessed, with sleep variables being measured during overnight polysomnography. SETTING: Hospital sleep laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven healthy children (mean age 8.19 y; 14 female, 13 male). INTERVENTIONS: N/A. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Participants underwent a single night of overnight polysomnography after completing measures of intelligence and neurocognitive functioning. Sleep spindles were visually identified by an experienced sleep scoring technician and separated algorithmically into fast (> 13 Hz) and slow spindle (< 13 Hz) categories. The number of fast spindles was significantly correlated with narrative memory (rs = 0.38) and sensorimotor functioning (−0.43). Mean central frequency of spindles was also significantly correlated with sensorimotor functioning (−0.41), planning ability (−0.41), and working memory (−0.54). CONCLUSIONS: Basal sleep spindle activity is associated with different aspects of cognitive performance in children. To the extent that these associations in a pediatric population are different from what is known in adult sleep may play an important role in development.

A phase 2 open-label safety and immunogenicity study of a meningococcal B bivalent rLP2086 vaccine in healthy adults

2013-06-17T01:30:44Z

Title: A phase 2 open-label safety and immunogenicity study of a meningococcal B bivalent rLP2086 vaccine in healthy adults Author: Marshall, Helen Siobhan; Richmond, Peter C.; Nissen, Michael D.; Wouters, Ann; Baber, James; Jiang, Qin; Anderson, Annaliesa S.; Jones, Thomas R.; Harris, Shannon L.; Jansen, Kathrin U.; Perez, John L.

A regulatory path associated with X-linked intellectual disability and epilepsy links KDM5C to the polyalanine expansions in ARX

2013-06-14T06:30:24Z

Title: A regulatory path associated with X-linked intellectual disability and epilepsy links KDM5C to the polyalanine expansions in ARX Author: Poeta, Loredana; Fusco, Francesca; Drongitis, Denise; Shoubridge, Cheryl Ann; Manganelli, Genesia; Filosa, Stefania; Paciolla, Mariateresa; Courtney, Monica; Collombat, Patrick; Lioi, Maria Bridiga; Gecz, Jozef; Ursini, Matilde Valeria; Miano, Maria Giuseppina Abstract: Intellectual disability (ID) and epilepsy often occur together and have a dramatic impact on the development and quality of life of the affected children. Polyalanine (polyA)-expansion-encoding mutations of aristaless-related homeobox (ARX) cause a spectrum of X-linked ID (XLID) diseases and chronic epilepsy, including infantile spasms. We show that lysine-specific demethylase 5C (KDM5C), a gene known to be mutated in XLID-affected children and involved in chromatin remodeling, is directly regulated by ARX through the binding in a conserved noncoding element. We have studied altered ARX carrying various polyA elongations in individuals with XLID and/or epilepsy. The changes in polyA repeats cause hypomorphic ARX alterations, which exhibit a decreased trans-activity and reduced, but not abolished, binding to the KDM5C regulatory region. The altered functioning of the mutants tested is likely to correlate with the severity of XLID and/or epilepsy. By quantitative RT-PCR, we observed a dramatic Kdm5c mRNA downregulation in murine Arx-knockout embryonic and neural stem cells. Such Kdm5c mRNA diminution led to a severe decrease in the KDM5C content during in vitro neuronal differentiation, which inversely correlated with an increase in H3K4me3 signal. We established that ARX polyA alterations damage the regulation of KDM5C expression, and we propose a potential ARX-dependent path acting via chromatin remodeling.

Resource factors for mental health resilience in early childhood: An analysis with multiple methodologies

2013-06-13T04:30:13Z

Title: Resource factors for mental health resilience in early childhood: An analysis with multiple methodologies Author: Miller-Lewis, Lauren Renee; Searle, Amelia Kate; Sawyer, Michael Gifford; Baghurst, Peter Adrian; Hedley, Darren Abstract: Background: Given that relatively little is known about the development of resilience in early childhood, this longitudinal study aimed to identify preschool resource factors associated with young children’s mental health resilience to family adversity. Methods: A community sample of 474 young Australian children was assessed in preschool (mean age 4.59 years, 49% male), and again two years later after their transition into formal schooling. At each assessment, standard questionnaires were used to obtain ratings from both parents and teachers about the quality of children’s relationships with parents and teachers, children’s self-concept and self-control, mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and family adversities (including stressful life events and socioeconomic disadvantage). Results: Greater exposure to cumulative family adversities was associated with both greater teacher- and parent-reported child mental health difficulties two years later. Multiple methodologies for operationalizing resilience were used to identify resources associated with resilient mental health outcomes. Higher quality child–parent and child-teacher relationships, and greater child self-concept and self-control were associated with resilient mental health outcomes. With the exception of child-teacher relationships, these resources were also prospective antecedents of subsequent resilient mental health outcomes in children with no pre-existing mental health difficulties. Child–parent relationships and child self-concept generally had promotive effects, being equally beneficial for children facing both low- and high-adversity. Child self-control demonstrated a small protective effect on teacher-reported outcomes, with greater self-control conferring greater protection to children under conditions of high-adversity. Conclusions: Findings suggest that early intervention and prevention strategies that focus on fostering child-adult relationship quality, self-concept, and self-control in young children may help build children’s mental health and their resilience to family adversities. Description: Extent: 23p.