Timing of Birth Linked to Cerebral Palsy

There may be one more reason for expectant moms to think twice before scheduling an elective Cesarean delivery to minimize the time they are pregnant. Researchers report that early or late delivery can increase the chances that a newborn develops cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a movement disorder that doctors believe originates from an injury to the brain during fetal development or early childhood. The scientists found that babies born at 37 weeks were 90% more likely to have cerebral palsy than babies born at 40 weeks, and that the relative risk was 40% higher among infants born later, after 42 weeks gestation. The overall risk of cerebral palsy among all births, they say, is still small.

While previous studies have found that babies born prior to 39-40 weeks have a higher chance of developing cerebral palsy, it's not clear what contributes to the condition.

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Longer Pregnancy + Breast-Feeding = Bigger Brains, Longer Life

Advice around breast-feeding can drive new mothers mad, but a new study suggests that the long pregnancies and lactation periods of our prehistoric mamas are responsible for the relatively big brains that differentiate humans from other animals.

By comparing 128 species of mammals, researchers at the University of Durham in England sought to answer this question: do large brains make species live longer by making them smarter in cheating death, or is the longer lifespan of big-brained animals simply the result of the fact that big brains require more care and time to grow?

"We already know that large-brained species develop slowly, mature later and have longer lifespans but what has not always been clear is why brains and life histories are related," said Robert Barton, lead author of the research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in a press release.

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DIET FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, FROM THE BEGINNING

Studies looking into how diet and nutrition affect central nervous system development from birth are being conducted by Agricultural Research Service(ARS)-funded scientists. They are using noninvasive tools to assess infant, toddler and school-aged children's psychological, neurological and physiological development, as well as other brain-related functions.

Healthy newborns soak up information from their surroundings while their developing brains sprout billions of nerve cell connections, or synapses. The brain's "hardwiring" actually starts in the womb, directed by the growing fetus' genetic game plan acquired from both parents. Good nutrition is key to supporting the growth of this network of neurons from the beginning.

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STUDY OF BABIES’ BRAIN SCANS SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON THE BRAIN’S UNCONSCIOUS ACTIVITY AND HOW IT DEVELOPS

Full-term babies are born with a key collection of networks already formed in their brains, according to new research that challenges some previous theories about the brain's activity and how the brain develops.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers led by a team from the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College London used functional MRI scanning to look at 'resting state' networks in the brains of 70 babies, born at between 29 and 43 weeks of development, who were receiving treatment at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

Resting state networks are connected systems of neurons in the brain that are constantly active, even when a person is not focusing on a particular task, or during sleep.

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NEWLY IDENTIFIED BRAIN PATHWAYS VITAL TO UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE

A complex network of brain connections necessary for language comprehension has been mapped in new detail, according to recent research. These newly charted pathways will help scientists understand how language is processed in the brain, and how brain injuries disrupt the system.

The research was presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held in San Diego.

"The question of how the brain understands language has puzzled scientists for generations," said senior author Nina Dronkers, PhD, of the Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System and the University of California, Davis. "We found rich connections throughout the brain that have not traditionally been associated with language, but are now found to tie together key areas important for understanding language."

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BRAIN SCAN CAN PREDICT THERAPY RESPONSE FOR ANXIOUS KIDS

Experts say a brain scan can predict which kids with anxiety disorders will respond to one form of psychotherapy. As a consequence, Georgetown University neuroscientists say the use of psychiatric medication is not necessary for certain children.

Their study, presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, utilized functional Magentic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to map regions of brain activity. The results showed that children and adolescents, ages 8 to 16, who show fear when looking at happy faces on a screen were those who had least success with an eight-week course of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Conversely, children who showed fear while looking at fearful faces benefitted from the treatment, the researchers found.

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People Who Stutter Show Abnormal Brain Activity When Reading and Listening

A new imaging study finds that people who stutter show abnormal brain activity even when reading or listening. The results suggest that individuals who stutter have impaired speech due to irregular brain circuits that affect several language processing areas -- not just the ones for speech production.

The research was presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held in San Diego.

Stuttering affects about one in every 20 children; most grow out of it, but one in five continues to struggle. While the particular cause of stuttering is still unknown, previous studies showed reduced activity in brain areas associated with listening, and increased activity in areas involved in speech and movement. In the new study, researchers considered whether irregular activity would also be apparent when stuttering speakers silently read.

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Functional MRI Predicts Outcome to Talk Therapy in Children With an Anxiety Disorder

A brain scan with functional MRI (fMRI) is enough to predict which patients with pediatric anxiety disorder will respond to "talk therapy," and so may not need to use psychiatric medication, say neuroscientists from Georgetown University Medical Center.

Their study, being presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, showed that children and adolescents, ages 8 to16, who show fear when looking at happy faces on a screen inside an fMRI scanner were those who had least success with an eight-week course of cognitive behavioral therapy.

Conversely, children who showed fear while looking at fearful faces benefitted from the treatment, which is also known as talk therapy, the researchers found.

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EYEBLINK CONDITIONING MAY HELP IN ASSESSING CHILDREN WITH FETAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE

Children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are extremely difficult to diagnose, as well as treat. But, new research indicates that eyeblink conditioning may provide a better model for assessing and diagnosing FAS in children.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is an irreversible disorder in children that affects the learning centers of the brain and results in cognitive and behavioral impairment in the child for life. One of the most pressing problems in studying and treating this disorder is that it is difficult to diagnose. Although the more severe form of the disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), is characterized by a distinct set of facial features and growth retardation, the majority of lack these features, and there is no recognized diagnostic criteria that can be used to identify them.

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PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO NICOTINE AFFECTS STEM CELLS IN HIPPOCAMPUS

Prolonged prenatal exposure to nicotine decreases the number of newborn cells in the hippocampus, a brain area important in learning and memory, according to preliminary research presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held in San Diego. The study offers a neurobiological explanation for why the children of women who smoke during pregnancy are at an increased risk of developing learning disabilities.

"Previous research has shown that nicotine, cocaine, and other addictive drugs decrease the number of newborn cells in adults. Our research suggests that these effects may be even more dramatic in newborn animals," said Robin Lester, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who directed the study. "These findings provide further warnings to expectant mothers that they should seek help in refraining from smoking during pregnancy," Lester said.

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