Magnesium sulfate reduces inflammation-associated brain injury in fetal mice

Cognitive outcome in children with rhombencephalosynapsis.

Aim: Breast milk is rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is selectively concentrated in neuronal membranes and is thought to be necessary for optimal neurodevelopment. This study evaluated the relationship between breastfeeding, especially the resultant DHA level in the red blood cell (RBC) membranes of infants, and the cognitive function of very-low-birth-weight infants at 5 years of age. Methods: Eighteen patients were classified into groups that were breastfed or formula-fed or both. We measured the DHA concentration in the RBC membranes of 18 preterm infants at 4 weeks of age. To evaluate cognitive function at the age of 5 years, we asked the children to perform five tests: the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Day–Night Test, Kansas Reflection Impulsivity Scale for Preschoolers (KRISP), Motor Planning Test, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: The DHA level at 4 weeks after birth was significantly higher in the breastfed infants than in the formula-fed infants. The scores for the Day–Night Test, KRISP, and Motor Planning Test were significantly higher in the breastfed group. There were significant correlations between the scores for the Day–Night Test and for the KRISP and the level of DHA at 4 weeks of age. Conclusion: Breastfeeding in the neonatal periods increases the DHA level in preterm infants and may have an important influence on brain development not only during early infancy but also during the preschool years, especially in terms of cognitive function.

Does breastfeeding in the neonatal period influence the cognitive function of very-low-birth-weight infants at 5 years of age?

http://leadserv.u-bourgogne.fr/files/publications/001055-emotional-and-effortful-control-abilities-in-42-month-old-very-preterm-and-full-term-children.pdf

Emotional and effortful control abilities in 42-month-old very preterm and full-term children.

High negative reactivity in early childhood interferes with later academic and behavioral adjustment. Thus, investigating the origins of high negative affectivity in early childhood is of high relevance for understanding emotional morbidity after preterm birth. The present work explored (1) direct prematurity-related consequences for negative reactivity, (2) self-regulatory deficits as a mechanism indirectly relating prematurity to negative affectivity and (3) the implications of the interplay between procedural distress in the neonatal period and parenting stress for preterm children's negative reactivity. The sample was comprised of 146 preterm children (very vs. moderately to late preterm) and 86 healthy full-term children, both free of major neurological impairment. Assessment involved negative affect and parenting stress (parent-report; 12, 24 months corrected age, CA), effortful control (behavioral battery, parent report; 24 months CA) and the number of potentially distressing neonatal intensive care procedures as well as severity of illness during the neonatal period (retrospective chart review). There was no direct link from prematurity to a disposition for high negative reactivity in early childhood nor was prematurity indirectly associated with higher negative reactivity through lower levels of effortful control. The relation between neonatal pain and distress and negative affectivity depended on the level of parenting stress with low parenting stress at the end of the first year of children's life buffering the negative influence of neonatal distress. The present findings underscore the importance of complex interactions among environmental factors in processes of emotional plasticity after preterm birth thereby providing critical suggestions for follow-up care.

Mjk de Kleine

Papers

Behavioural and emotional problems