[Article Review] The Impact of High Screen Time on Cognitive and Behavioral Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Children

Reference

Vohr, B. R., McGowan, E. C., Bann, C., Das, A., Higgins, R., Hintz, S., & Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. (2021). Association of High Screen-Time Use With School-age Cognitive, Executive Function, and Behavior Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Children. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(10), 1025-1034. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.2041

Review

In a cohort study conducted by Vohr et al. (2021), the authors assessed the association of high screen time with cognitive, language, executive function, and behavior outcomes in extremely preterm children (EPT) aged 6 to 7 years. The secondary objective of the study was to examine the association between high screen time and rates of structured physical activity and weight.

The study included 414 EPT children born between February 1, 2005, and February 28, 2009, and evaluated between 2012 and 2016. The cohorts were divided into children exposed to low (≤2 hours per day) vs. high (>2 hours per day) amounts of screen time and by the presence (no vs. yes) of a television/computer in the bedroom.

The findings of the study revealed that high screen time was independently associated with lower full-scale IQ, and increased deficits in executive functions, including metacognition, global executive function, inhibition, and Conners 3rd Edition–Parent Short-Form inattention. Additionally, a television/computer in the bedroom was associated with an increase in inhibition and hyperactivity/impulsivity problems.

The authors concluded that high screen time contributes to adverse cognitive, executive function, and behavior outcomes at ages 6 to 7 years in children born at less than 28 weeks. This study emphasizes the need for clinicians to be aware of the risks for EPT children and discuss both the benefits and risks of screen time with families.

[Article Review] Maternal Obesity and Child Cognitive Outcomes: A Sex-Specific Relationship

Reference

Widen, E. M., Nichols, A. R., Kahn, L. G., Factor-Litvak, P., Insel, B. J., Hoepner, L., Dube, S. M., Rauh, V., Perera, F., & Rundle, A. (2019). Prepregnancy obesity is associated with cognitive outcomes in boys in a low-income, multiethnic birth cohort. BMC Pediatrics, 19, 507. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-019-1853-4

Article

Widen et al. (2019) conducted a study to investigate whether maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with cognitive outcomes in 7-year-old children from a low-income, multiethnic birth cohort. The authors hypothesized that maternal prepregnancy obesity and high GWG would have negative effects on child neurodevelopment, particularly among boys. Data from 368 African American and Dominican women and their children were analyzed using linear regression models. The results revealed that prepregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with lower full-scale IQ scores among boys but not girls. GWG was not associated with cognitive outcomes in either sex. These findings suggest that maternal prepregnancy obesity may have sex-specific effects on child neurodevelopment, which should be taken into consideration for public health interventions aimed at improving cognitive outcomes.

One strength of this study is its prospective design, which allowed for the measurement of maternal BMI and GWG during pregnancy and subsequent assessment of child neurodevelopment. Additionally, the study sample consisted of a diverse population of low-income women and their children, which increases the generalizability of the findings. However, the study also has some limitations. For instance, the authors did not examine the potential mechanisms underlying the association between maternal obesity and child neurodevelopment. Future studies should investigate potential biological and environmental pathways that may explain this relationship.

Overall, this study provides evidence for a sex-specific association between maternal prepregnancy obesity and child cognitive outcomes among low-income populations. These findings have important implications for public health interventions aimed at reducing the prevalence of maternal obesity and improving cognitive outcomes in children.

[Article Review] The Benefits of Midday Napping for Children's Health and Well-being

Reference

Liu, J., Feng, R., Ji, X., Cui, N., Raine, A., & Mednick, S. C. (2019). Midday napping in children: associations between nap frequency and duration across cognitive, positive psychological well-being, behavioral, and metabolic health outcomes. Sleep, 42(9), zsz126. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz126

Review

Liu et al. (2019) investigated the associations between midday napping and various cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and metabolic health outcomes in elementary school children from the China Jintan Cohort Study. The study collected data on nap frequency and duration, behavioral and academic achievement, positive psychology measures, metabolic indices, and IQ tests. The results showed that regular midday napping was associated with better cognition, psychological wellness, and reduced emotional/behavioral problems in children. Specifically, napping was significantly associated with higher happiness, grit, and self-control, reduced internalizing behavior problems, higher verbal IQs, and better academic achievement. The study also found that the specific patterns of associations varied across frequency and duration for different outcomes. However, limited significant associations were found for decreased externalizing behavior problems, and no significant associations were found for performance IQ and metabolic outcomes.

The findings of this study have important implications for promoting healthy sleep habits in children. The study provides evidence that midday napping can be a useful strategy to reduce the negative impacts of poor sleep and daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents. Regular napping may help children improve their cognition, psychological wellness, and emotional/behavioral regulation, which can lead to better academic achievement and long-term health outcomes. However, the study also highlights the need for further large-scale intervention studies to establish causal effects and determine optimal nap frequency and duration for different outcomes.

Overall, Liu et al. (2019) conducted a comprehensive investigation of the associations between midday napping and various health outcomes in elementary school children. The study provides evidence that regular midday napping can have beneficial effects on cognition, psychological wellness, and emotional/behavioral regulation in children. The study emphasizes the importance of promoting healthy sleep habits in children and highlights the need for further research to establish causal effects and determine optimal nap frequency and duration for different outcomes.

[Article Review] Uncovering the Brain's Response to Socioeconomic Status: A Longitudinal Study

Reference

McDermott, C. L., Seidlitz, J., Nadig, A., Liu, S., Clasen, L. S., Blumenthal, J. D., ... & Raznahan, A. (2019). Longitudinally Mapping Childhood Socioeconomic Status Associations with Cortical and Subcortical Morphology. Journal of Neuroscience, 39(8), 1365-1373. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1808-18.2018

Review

In the study conducted by McDermott et al. (2019), the researchers sought to examine the associations between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and structural brain development in a longitudinal manner. By analyzing 1,243 MRI scans from 623 youth aged 5 to 25 years, the authors provided a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between SES and cortical and subcortical morphology.

The results indicated positive associations between SES and the total volumes of the brain, cortical sheet, and four separate subcortical structures. These associations were stable across the entire age range studied. Moreover, the authors found areal expansion in specific cortical and subcortical regions, such as lateral prefrontal, anterior cingulate, lateral temporal, and superior parietal cortices, as well as ventrolateral thalamic and medial amygdala-hippocampal subregions, to be associated with higher SES. The findings from meta-analyses of functional imaging data suggest that the cortical correlates of SES are primarily focused on brain systems that support sensorimotor functions, language, memory, and emotional processing.

In conclusion, McDermott et al. (2019) demonstrated that anatomical variation within a subset of the identified regions partially mediates the positive association between SES and IQ, while also identifying neuroanatomical correlates of SES that exist independently of IQ variation. The study offers valuable insights into the potential neuroanatomical mediators linking SES and cognitive outcomes, paving the way for future research on this topic.