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Prenatal Period (prenatal + period)
Selected AbstractsAutism spectrum disorders in children with active epilepsy and learning disability: comorbidity, pre- and perinatal background, and seizure characteristicsDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 11 2003Suzanne Steffenburg MD PhD The aim of this study was to examine the comorbidity pattern, seizure characteristics, and aetiology in a representative group of children with a combination of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), active epilepsy, and learning disability. Ninety children (47 males, 43 females; mean age 11 years 2 months, range 8 to 16 years at the time of psychiatric examination) with active epilepsy and learning disability, identified in a population-based study in Göteborg, Sweden, were subdivided into those with and those without ASD and compared with respect to aetiology, additional neuroimpairments, and seizure characteristics. In addition, the cohorts were examined for trends of prevalence over a period of time. Results indicated that established aetiology was much more often present in the prenatal period than in the peri- or postnatal periods in the ASD group. Cerebral palsy and visual impairment were under-represented in the ASD group. Partial seizures tended to be more common and generalized seizures less common in the ASD group compared with the non-ASD group. Seizure onset was later in the ASD group. Many of the significant differences were accounted for by a large group of psychiatrically unclassifiable participants in the non-ASD group. There was no trend towards an increase of affected children over the 12-year period. There was no increase in the prevalence of active epilepsy and learning disability nor in the rate of autism with active epilepsy and learning disability in children born between 1981 and 1986 compared with those born from 1976 to 1980, indicating no statistical association with the general measles-mumps-rubella vaccination introduced in the early 1980s. [source] Amniotic fluid can act as an appetitive unconditioned stimulus in preweanling ratsDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Carlos Arias Abstract Studies in humans and animals indicate that exposure to flavors in the amniotic fluid during the later gestational period may induce preferences for those flavors. Considering that during the last prenatal period the amniotic fluid contains substances that activate the opioid system, and that this system plays a critical role in the acquisition of olfactory preferences early in life, it has been hypothesized that the amniotic fluid may acquire appetitive unconditioned properties during this period. This has been tested in an experiment in which preweanling rats were exposed to alcohol odor (CS) paired or unpaired with the intraoral infusion of amniotic fluid (US) collected on gestational day 20. The pairing of these two stimuli induced an enhanced palatability of alcohol's flavor as well an increased intake of the drug. These results support the idea that amniotic fluid acquires appetitive unconditioned properties during the last days of gestation and suggest that associative mechanisms involving the amniotic fluid could be underlying odor and taste preferences acquired through fetal exposure. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 49: 139,149, 2007. [source] Effects of prenatal visual stimulation on growth and heart rate in bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus)DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Merry J. Sleigh Abstract This study examined the effects of prenatal visual stimulation on bobwhite quail embryos' growth and heart rate. No differences in growth rate were found between embryos exposed to visual stimulation during the late prenatal period and control embryos. Embryos exposed to visual stimulation throughout incubation maintained lower heart rates in response to visual stimulation than did naïve embryos. In a subsequent experiment, naïve embryos that underwent an egg-opening procedure exhibited heart rates that were lower than embryos measured in intact eggshells. Embryos in opened eggs maintained lower heart rates than comparison embryos across time; however, a less invasive egg-opening procedure led to a quicker heart rate recovery than did a more invasive egg-opening procedure. These findings indicate that prenatal heart rate responses may be mediated by multiple features of the organism's developmental context, including intensity and duration of sensory stimulation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psyshobiol 48: 315,324, 2006. [source] Effects of redundant and nonredundant bimodal sensory stimulation on heart rate in bobwhite quail embryosDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Greg D. Reynolds Abstract Research with both animal embryos and human infants has provided evidence that information presented redundantly and in temporal synchrony across sensory modalities (intersensory redundancy) can guide selective attention, perceptual learning, and memory during early development. How this facilitation is achieved remains relatively unexamined. This study examined the effects of redundant versus nonredundant bimodal stimulation on a measure of physiological arousal (heart rate) in bobwhite quail embryos. Results show that quail embryos exposed to concurrent but nonredundant auditory and visual stimulation during the late stages of incubation exhibit significantly elevated heart rates following stimulus exposure and during stimulus reexposure when compared to embryos exposed to redundant and synchronous audiovisual stimulation, unimodal auditory stimulation, or no supplemental prenatal sensory stimulation. These findings indicate a functional distinction between redundant and nonredundant bimodal stimulation during early development and suggest that nonredundant bimodal stimulation during the prenatal period can raise arousal levels, thereby potentially interfering with the attentional capacities and perceptual learning of bobwhite quail. In contrast, intersensory redundancy appears to foster arousal levels that facilitate selective attention and perceptual learning during prenatal development. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 43: 304,310, 2003. [source] Maternal psychopathology and attachment in toddlers of heavy cocaine-using mothersINFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2001Michael Espinosa The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among maternal psychopathology, early sensitive caregiving, and security of attachment in a sample of cocaine-using women from environments with high contextual risks that include poverty, low educational attainment, minority status, and single parenthood. Thirty-five women and their offspring participated in the study. Maternal psychopathology, including Axis I and Axis II disorders, was assessed during the prenatal period via a self-report clinical measure. Maternal sensitivity was assessed at 1 month and 6 months postdelivery through rating scales. At 18 months postdelivery, toddlers' attachment to their mothers was assessed via the Strange Situation procedure. Also at 18 months, mothers' level of depression was assessed via a depression inventory. Maternal psychopathology during pregnancy was found to be associated with both early caregiving and attachment. Mothers demonstrating clinical levels of particular Axis II disorders provided less sensitive caregiving, and had toddlers who were more likely to be disorganized/disoriented in their attachments. For Axis I disorders, only clinical levels of prenatal dysthymia were found to be associated with a greater likelihood of secure attachment. ©2001 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. [source] Sonographic appearance of ruptured ovarian cyst in the neonatal periodJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 1 2008Thomas A. Gallagher MD Abstract Rupture is a rare complication of ovarian cysts diagnosed during the prenatal period. We present a case that focuses on the postnatal sonographic appearance of rupture of an ovarian cyst after vaginal delivery. Histopathologic correlation is provided. The main sonographic features include complicated ascites and a collapsed cystic structure in the abdomen. Ruptured ovarian cyst should be included in the differential diagnosis of unexplained ascites in a newborn girl. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008 [source] Neuropathological analysis of an asymptomatic adult case with Dandy,Walker variantNEUROPATHOLOGY & APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006G. Notaridis The Dandy-Walker (DW) complex is a rare posterior fossa malformation, usually observed during the prenatal period or the early infancy. Clinically, it is characterized by mental retardation, seizures, cerebellar ataxia as well as symptoms of hydrocephalus. Structural imaging reveal a hypoplasia or agenesis of the cerebellar vermis, enlargement of the fourth ventricle with a posterior fossa cyst. Additional neurodevelopmental changes such as agenesis of the corpus callosum, lissencephaly and cortical dysplasia are also present. We report the first neuropathological analysis of an adult asymptomatic DW case. Brain computerized tomography showed a massive posterior fossa cyst and hypoplasia of the cerebellum. An Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV characterized by repetitive intestinal perforations and a saccular aneurysm on the left posterior communicating artery was also present. Macroscopic brain examination revealed hypoplasia of both cerebellar hemispheres and posterior part of the vermis, as well as dilatation of the fourth ventricle without hydrocephalus. The posterior fossa cyst wall was formed by an external arachnoid layer, middle layer with loose connective tissue and an internal layer of ependymal cells. There were two foci of cerebellar cortical dysplasia but no ectopic neurons, neuronal loss or gliosis in both cerebellum and cerebral cortex. No vascular or significant neurodegenerative lesions were observed. In comparison with previous reports in DW infants, this adult case displayed milder brain abnormalities compatible with a diagnosis of DW variant. The preservation of the cortical cytoarchitecture as well as the paucity of additional neurodevelopmental changes may explain the absence of clinical expression. [source] Fetal alcohol syndrome and developing craniofacial and dental structures , a reviewORTHODONTICS & CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2006LB Sant'Anna Structured abstract Authors ,, Sant'Anna LB, Tosello DO Objectives ,, Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a collection of signs and symptoms seen in children exposed to alcohol in the prenatal period. It is characterized mainly by a distinct pattern of craniofacial malformations, physical and mental retardation. However, with the increased incidence of FAS, there is a great variation in the clinical features of FAS. Design ,, Narrative review. Results ,, This review describes data from clinical and experimental studies, and in vitro models. Experimental studies have shown that alcohol has a direct toxic effect on the ectodermal and mesodermal cells of the developing embryo, particularly in the cells destined to give rise to dentofacial structures (i.e. cranial neural crest cells). Other effects, such as, abnormal pattern of cranial and mandibular growth and altered odontogenesis are described in detail. The exact mechanism by which alcohol induces its teratogenic effects remains still unknown. The possible mechanisms are outlined here, with an emphasis on the developing face and tooth. Possible future research directions and treatment strategies are also discussed. Conclusion ,, Early identification of children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure leads to interventions, services, and improved outcomes. FAS can be prevented with the elimination of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. We need to provide education, target high-risk groups, and make this issue a high priority in terms of public health. [source] Intrauterine exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fine particulate matter and early wheeze.PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4p2 2010Prospective birth cohort study in 4-year olds Jedrychowski WA, Perera FP, Maugeri U, Mrozek-Budzyn D, Mroz E, Klimaszewska-Rembiasz M, Flak E, Edwards S, Spengler J, Jacek R, Sowa A. Intrauterine exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fine particulate matter and early wheeze. Prospective birth cohort study in 4-year olds. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: e723,e732. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S The main goal of the study was to determine the relationship between prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) measured by PAH-DNA adducts in umbilical cord blood and early wheeze. The level of PAH-DNA adducts in the cord blood is assumed to reflect the cumulative dose of PAHs absorbed by the foetus over the prenatal period. The effect of prenatal PAH exposure on respiratory health measured by the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for the number of wheezing days in the subsequent 4 yr follow-up was adjusted for potential confounding factors such as personal prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), gender of child, maternal characteristics (age, education and atopy), parity and mould/dampness in the home. The study sample includes 339 newborns of non-smoking mothers 18,35 yr of age and free from chronic diseases, who were recruited from ambulatory prenatal clinics in the first or second trimester of pregnancy. The number of wheezing days during the first 2 yr of life was positively associated with prenatal level of PAH-DNA adducts (IRR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.52,1.88), prenatal particulate matter (PM2.5) level dichotomized by the median (IRR = 1.38; 95%CI: 1.25,1.51), maternal atopy (IRR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.29,1.58), mouldy/damp house (IRR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.27,1.61). The level of maternal education and maternal age at delivery was inversely associated with the IRRs for wheeze. The significant association between frequency of wheeze and the level of prenatal environmental hazards (PAHs and PM2.5) was not observed at ages 3 or 4 yrs. Although the frequency of wheezing at ages 3 or 4 was no longer associated with prenatal exposure to PAHs and PM2.5, its occurrence depended on the presence of wheezing in the first 2 yr of life, which nearly tripled the risk of wheezing in later life. In conclusion, the findings may suggest that driving force for early wheezing (<24 months of age) is different to those leading to later onset of wheeze. As we reported no synergistic effects between prenatal PAH (measured by PAH-DNA adducts) and PM2.5 exposures on early wheeze, this suggests the two exposures may exert independent effects via different biological mechanism on wheeze. [source] Emergent excision of a prenatally diagnosed sacrococcygeal teratomaPEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 5 2008KHA M. TRAN MD Summary Prenatally diagnosed sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCT) have higher mortality rates than those diagnosed in the neonatal period. Natural history of SCT varies, and management depends on pathophysiology. Treatment may be minimally invasive or require open surgery. Intervention may take place in the prenatal period, or it may occur within minutes to days after birth. Optimal care requires close follow up and communication between members of a multidisciplinary team. We present a case of prenatally diagnosed SCT and address the evaluation, anesthetic considerations, and mechanisms needed to care for this high risk population. [source] Investigation of lysosomal storage diseases in nonimmune hydrops fetalisPRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 8 2004Maira G. Burin Abstract Objective To investigate lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) in cases of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF). Methods Thirty-three cases of NIHF were investigated, 28 in the prenatal period and 5 in hydropic newborns. In addition to a general investigation for NIHF, specific enzymatic analyses for the detection of LSD were performed. Results In our sample, we detected five patients (15%) with LSD, each patient having one of the following diseases: mucolipidosis, Niemann,Pick disease, galactosialidosis, sialidosis and mucopolysaccharidosis type IV A. Conclusion Although LSDs are rare disorders as a group, they should be considered as a possible cause of NIHF, even in the absence of consanguinity or of a previous family history. By excluding the more frequent causes of NIHF, an LSD investigation assists in clarifying the etiology of many hydropic cases, making more appropriate genetic counseling for parents possible. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] New Insights in Vascular Development: Vasculogenesis and Endothelial Progenitor CellsANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 1 2009S. Käßmeyer Summary In the course of new blood vessel formation, two different processes , vasculogenesis and angiogenesis , have to be distinguished. The term vasculogenesis describes the de novo emergence of a vascular network by endothelial progenitors, whereas angiogenesis corresponds to the generation of vessels by sprouting from pre-existing capillaries. Until recently, it was thought that vasculogenesis is restricted to the prenatal period. During the last decade, one of the most fascinating innovations in the field of vascular biology was the discovery of endothelial progenitor cells and vasculogenesis in the adult. This review aims at introducing the concept of adult vasculogenesis and discusses the efforts to identify and characterize adult endothelial progenitors. The different sources of adult endothelial progenitors like haematopoietic stem cells, myeloid cells, multipotent progenitors of the bone marrow, side population cells and tissue-residing pluripotent stem cells are considered. Moreover, a survey of cellular and molecular control mechanisms of vasculogenesis is presented. Recent advances in research on endothelial progenitors exert a strong impact on many different disciplines and provide the knowledge for functional concepts in basic fields like anatomy, histology as well as embryology. [source] The prevalence and related risk factors of anxiety and depression symptoms among Chinese pregnant women in ShanghaiAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Yong-Xia QIAO Objective: To investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression of the pregnant women during the prenatal period, and provide information for further epidemiological study. Methods: With ethics committee approval, a total of 527 recruited pregnant women from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji University Medical School were selected at four hospitals that affiliated to the University. By applying a self-designed questionnaire for hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale, we evaluated anxious and depressive symptoms in these women. Results: The prevalence rates of anxiety and depression in these Chinese pregnant women during prenatal period were 6.8% and 4.8%, respectively, whereas the co-prevalence rate of both anxiety and depression was 3.4%, and anxiety and/or depression 15.0%. The relationship between the prevalence rate of anxiety/depression and the age distribution was proven negatively correlated (,2 = 1.478, P = 0.016) by the trend chi-squared test. Among all three groups, the prevalence rate of anxiety and depression was highest in the group of below 20 years old, lowest in the group of over 30 years old, and in-between in the group of 20 to 30 years old. Logistic regression analysis showed that lower age was a risk factor (odds ratio (OR) = 10.094, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.418~71.838). Meanwhile, poor educational background (OR = 1.929, 95%CI: 1.101~3.379) was a relevant risk factor as well. Conclusions: We suggest that introduction of psychological health instruction programs for pregnant women, especially the younger ones, should be strengthened. Besides, the essential intervention measures may be applied if necessary. [source] IDentify, Educate and Alert (IDEA) trial: an intervention to reduce postnatal depressionBJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 9 2003Joan Webster Objective To test the effectiveness of a prenatal intervention in reducing the incidence of postnatal depression. Design A randomized controlled trial. Setting A large metropolitan obstetric hospital. Population or sample Pregnant women with risk factors for postnatal depression. Methods Women attending their first prenatal visit at the Royal Women's Hospital, Brisbane, were screened for risk factors for postnatal depression (IDentify). Positively screened women were randomly allocated to the intervention group or the control group. The intervention consisted of a booklet about postnatal depression, which included contact numbers; prenatal screening using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; a discussion with the woman about her risk of developing postnatal depression (Educate); and a letter to the woman's referring general practitioner and local Child Health Nurse, alerting them of the woman's risk for postnatal depression (Alert). Main outcome measure Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Score> 12 at 16 weeks postpartum. Results Of the 509 women who were sent a follow up questionnaire, 371 (72.9%) responded. The proportion of women who reported an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of>12 was 26%. There were no significant differences between intervention (46/192, 24%) and control groups (50/177, 28.2%) on this primary outcome measure (OR 0.80; 95% CI 0.50,1.28). Conclusion Over one-quarter of women with risk factors will develop postnatal depression. It is a treatable disorder but under-diagnosis is common. Efforts to reduce postnatal depression by implementing interventions in the prenatal period have been unsuccessful. [source] In vivo optical recordings of synaptic transmission and intracellular Ca2+ and Cl, in the superior colliculus of fetal ratsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 6 2006Yoshiyuki Sakata Abstract Although the N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor is known to play a crucial role in activity-dependent remodeling of synaptic connections in the fetal superior colliculus (SC), its contribution to the electrical activity of fetal SC neurons has not been determined. Furthermore, whether ,-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated inhibition occurs either as early as prenatal periods or only after eye opening has been controversial. We therefore performed optical recordings using voltage-, Ca2+ - and Cl, -sensitive fluorescent dyes to analyse synaptic transmission and changes in intracellular Ca2+ and Cl, in the SC of fetal rats that were still connected with the dams by the umbilical cord. Excitatory and inhibitory responses were evoked by focal SC stimulation. The excitatory synaptic responses are composed of early and late components. The early component was mediated by both non-NMDA and NMDA receptors, whereas the late component occurred mainly via NMDA receptors. Train pulse stimulation at higher currents was required for induction of the inhibition, which was antagonized by bicuculline, and blocking of the GABA-mediated inhibition by bicuculline uncovered masked excitatory synaptic responses. Focal SC stimulation induced increases in [Cl,]i and [Ca2+]i that were mediated by GABA-A receptors and mainly by NMDA receptors, respectively. GABA antagonists augmented SC-induced increases in [Ca2+]i. These results indicate that, in the fetal SC, excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmissions occur before birth, that the NMDA receptor is a major contributor to excitatory synaptic transmission and increased [Ca2+]i, and that the GABA-A receptor is already functioning to inhibit excitatory neurotransmission. [source] | ||||||||||||||||