Community Shares | December 5th 2022
According to a recent review, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) may be a valuable intervention for treating maladaptive neural plasticity. Several pediatric neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as ASD, ADHD, disruptive behavioral disorder, and stress-related disorder could be associated with or have roots in maladaptive neural plasticity. This review concludes that the non-invasive taVNS […]
Children Delivered by Cesarean Section Have a Higher Risk of ADHD, ASD, and Intellectual Disability
Cesarean Delivery’s Impact on the Infant Gut Microbiome Could Elevate Risk A new population-based study has investigated the neurodevelopmental risks of children delivered by Cesarean section (CS) compared to those born via vaginal delivery (VD). Specifically, this study examined the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disabilities among children born […]
Maternal Infections During Pregnancy Can Adversely Affect Offspring’s Cognitive Development
Third Trimester Infection-Exposed Children Exhibited Decreased Verbal & IQ Scores at Ages 4 and 8 Previous research has linked maternal infections during pregnancy to children’s deleterious neurodevelopmental and cognitive outcomes. However, these earlier studies did not determine whether infections that occur at specific gestational periods can affect these cognitive outcomes. Now, a new study has […]
Community Shares | November 28th 2022
A surprising new study published in Autism Research suggests that when specific differences are accounted for, individuals with autism can outperform neurotypical individuals when it comes to accurately recognizing the emotions of others. This research involved the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test and a cartoon version of the test. Both test versions were […]
Decreased Social Participation, Poor Social Adjustment, and Social Cognitive Deficits Detected in Children with Acquired Brain Injury
Should Kids with ABI Receive an Autism Diagnosis? Unfortunately, acquired brain injury (ABI) is a common cause of mortality and morbidity in young children. Various illnesses and injuries, including head trauma, stroke, seizure, infection, and cardiac arrest, can cause ABIs. ABI, from a primary neurologic diagnosis, accounts for approximately 20% of all pediatric intensive care […]
Zebrafish Study Shows a Well-Functioning Gut-Brain Connection Is Needed for Social Development
Research Focuses on Gut Microbes and Synaptic Pruning in the Brain University of Oregon researchers recently published a study that is the first to demonstrate that microglia are required for pruning neural connections in zebrafish larvae. This study also showed that an intact microbiota is necessary for routine pruning and typical fish social behavior. Additionally, […]
