Biology subjects

Paniukov, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Paniukov, D..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Examining the relationship between prenatal depression, amygdala-prefrontal structural connectivity and behaviour in preschool children

Prenatal depression is a common, underrecognized, and undertreated condition with negative consequences on child behaviour and brain development. Neurological dysfunction of the amygdala, cingulate cortex and hippocampus are associated with the development of depression and stress disorders in youth and adults. Although prenatal depression is associated with both child behaviour and neurological dysfunction, the relationship between these variables remains unclear. In this study, fifty-four mothers completed the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) during the second and third trimester of pregnancy and 3 months postpartum. Their childrens behaviour was assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), and the children had diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at age 4.1 +/- 0.8 years. Associations between prenatal depressive symptoms, child behaviour, and child brain structure were investigated. Third trimester EDS scores were associated with altered white matter in the amygdala-frontal tract and the cingulum, controlling for postpartum depression. Externalizing behaviour was sexually differentiated in the amygdala-frontal pathway. Altered structural connectivity between the amygdala and frontal cortex mediated the relationship between third trimester maternal depressive symptoms and child externalizing behaviour in males, but not females. These findings suggest that altered brain structure is a possible mechanism via which prenatal depressive symptoms can impact child behaviour, highlighting the importance of both recognition and intervention in prenatal depression.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Cerebral Blood Flow Increases Across Early Childhood

Adequate cerebral blood flow (CBF) is essential to proper brain development and function. Detailed characterization of CBF developmental trajectories will lead to better understanding of the development of cognitive, motor, and sensory functions, as well as behaviour in children. Previous studies have shown CBF increases during infancy and decreases during adolescence; however, the trajectories during childhood, and in particular the timing of peak CBF, remain unclear. Here, we used arterial spin labeling to map age-related changes of CBF across a large longitudinal sample that included 279 scans on 96 participants (46 girls and 50 boys) aged 2-7 years. CBF maps were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression for every voxel inside the grey matter mask, controlling for multiple comparisons. The results revealed a significant positive linear association between CBF and age in distributed brain regions including prefrontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital cortex, and in the cerebellum. There were no differences in developmental trajectories between males and females. Our findings suggest that CBF continues to increase at least until the age of 7 years, likely supporting the ongoing improvements in behaviour, cognition, motor, and sensory functions of the children in early childhood.\n\nHighlights* We mapped cerebral blood flow development longitudinally in 96 typically developing children aged 2-7 years\n* Cerebral blood flow increased over the full age range\n* No significant differences between males and females were found\n\n\nConflicting of InterestR.M.L. is an employee of GE.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2017

The Integrative Role of Frontopolar Cortex in Rule-Based Category Learning

Category learning is a critical neurobiological function that allows organisms to simplify a complex world. Rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (rlPFC) is often active in neurobiological studies of category learning; however, the specific role this region serves in category learning remains uncertain. Previous category learning studies have hypothesized that the rlPFC is involved in switching between rules, whereas others have emphasized rule abstraction and evaluation. We aimed to clarify the role of rlPFC in category learning and dissociate switching and evaluation accounts using two common types of category learning tasks: matching and classification. The matching task involved matching a reference stimulus to one of four target stimuli. In the classification task, participants were shown a single stimulus and learned to classify it into one of two categories. Matching and classification are similar but place different demands on switching and evaluation. In matching, a rule can be known with certainty after a single correct answer. In classification, participants may need to evaluate evidence for a rule even after an initial correct response. This critical difference allows isolation of evaluative functions from switching functions. If the rlPFC is primarily involved in switching between representations, it should cease to be active once participants settle on a given rule in both tasks. If the rlPFC is involved in rule evaluation, its activation should persist in the classification task, but not matching. The results revealed that rlPFC activation persisted into correct trials in classification, but not matching, suggesting that it continues to be involved in the evaluations of evidence for a rule even after participants have arrived at the correct rule.\n\nHighlightsO_LIDifferences between rule-based matching and classification tasks were highlighted.\nC_LIO_LIRostrolateral prefrontal cortex is involved in evaluation of evidence for a rule in rule-based category learning tasks.\nC_LI

neuroscience↗