Early human development最新文献

{"title":"Empowering parents in neonatal decision making using Q-methodology: Development of a decision guidance framework for necrotizing enterocolitis","authors":"Rosa Verhoeven ,&nbsp;Elisabeth M.W. Kooi ,&nbsp;Sylvia A. Obermann-Borst ,&nbsp;Nanon H.M. Labrie ,&nbsp;Rosa Geurtzen ,&nbsp;A.A. Eduard Verhagen ,&nbsp;Jan B.F. Hulscher","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106372","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106372","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background/objectives</h3><div>Given the high risk of peri-operative mortality and postoperative morbidities in surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), parents are faced with an extraordinarily difficult and emotionally charged decision. Together with healthcare professionals they must weigh whether pursuing surgery is in the infant's best interest or if palliative care would be more appropriate. The purpose of this study is to explore how parents make this complex decision and to investigate whether Q-methodology could serve as a decision guidance framework for the empowerment of parents.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We aimed to identify distinct decision-making profiles by analyzing how parents ranked 24 statements relevant to the decision. These statements were based on previously identified influential decision factors and supplemented with items reflecting broader approaches to complex decision-making. Through a by-person factor analysis, we uncovered shared perspectives among participants.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 53 parents of both healthy and affected children participated, 42 of whom could be categorized into one of five distinct parent profiles. These profiles show varying degrees of emotional involvement, reliance on physician guidance, and consideration of long-term consequences.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings suggest that Q-methodology can reveal meaningful patterns in how parents approach critical medical decisions. These insights could inform the development of a decision guidance framework tailored to parental needs. This framework could enhance understanding, promote shared decision making, and improve communication between parents and healthcare professionals. Further research should focus on refining and validating the framework to ensure it effectively supports families navigating high-stakes neonatal care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106372"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of neonatal withdrawal syndrome with concurrent use of multiple neuropsychiatric medications in pregnant women","authors":"Miyako Nakagawa ,&nbsp;Kosuke Doki ,&nbsp;Mana Obata-Yasuoka ,&nbsp;Hiromi Hamada ,&nbsp;Daisuke Hitaka ,&nbsp;Yayoi Miyazono ,&nbsp;Hidetoshi Takada ,&nbsp;Masato Homma","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106385","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106385","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aim</h3><div>Neonatal withdrawal syndrome is characterized by withdrawal symptoms in neonates because of the discontinuation of transplacental drug transfer after delivery. This study aimed to examine the risk factors for withdrawal symptoms to clarify the impact of the number of neuropsychiatric drugs administered during pregnancy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This was a retrospective observational study including 344 neonates born to 341 mothers receiving neuropsychiatric drugs, including antipsychotics, antidepressants, antiepileptics, and anxiolytics/sedatives during pregnancy. The presence of withdrawal symptoms was assessed using the Isobe score, comprising 15 symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify significant risk factors for the presence of withdrawal symptoms.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Withdrawal symptoms developed in 178 (51.7 %) neonates. The frequency of neonates with withdrawal symptoms was higher in neonates born to mothers receiving ≥3 neuropsychiatric drugs compared to those born to mothers receiving 1–2 neuropsychiatric drugs (73.2 % vs. 45.0 %; <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). By multivariable logistic regression analysis, the presence of withdrawal symptoms was associated with the concurrent use of ≥3 neuropsychiatric drugs during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio, 2.24; 95 % confidence interval, 1.09–4.62; <em>P</em> = 0.029) and the maternal use of antipsychotics (adjusted odds ratio, 1.77; 95 % confidence interval, 1.06–2.94; <em>P</em> = 0.028).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The concurrent use of ≥3 neuropsychiatric drugs during pregnancy and the maternal use of antipsychotics were significant risk factors for the presence of withdrawal symptoms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106385"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of birth size with BMI trajectories and fluctuation across adolescence and adulthood: A longitudinal study of two Finnish twin cohorts","authors":"Alvaro Obeso ,&nbsp;Aline Jelenkovic ,&nbsp;Gabin Drouard ,&nbsp;Jaakko Kaprio ,&nbsp;Karri Silventoinen","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106373","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The influence of intrauterine conditions on later weight gain remains unclear. We examined the associations of birth size characteristics (weight, length, and ponderal index (PI)) with body mass index (BMI) trajectories and fluctuation in adolescence and adulthood using a twin design, which provides insights into the role of genetic and environmental factors.</div></div><div><h3>Data and methods</h3><div>Data from two Finnish twin cohorts including 9850 twin individuals (48 % males) were used. Weight and length or height were measured at birth and at different ages during adolescence and adulthood (11.5–37 years in FinnTwin12; 16–34 years in FinnTwin16). BMI trajectories across different stages of adolescence and adulthood were calculated as the difference in BMI divided by the time elapsed between measurements. BMI fluctuation was assessed as the variance of BMI trajectories at each stage. Linear regression models were used to examine the associations of birth size characteristics with BMI trajectories and fluctuation in adolescence and adulthood. Interactions between baseline BMI and birth characteristics were assessed. Within-pair analysis was performed to assess whether the identified associations persist while controlling for genetic effects.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>BMI trajectories during early adolescence were positively associated with birth PI and negatively with birth weight and length. BMI trajectories during middle adolescence were positively associated with birth length and negatively with birth weight. PI showed a negative association with BMI trajectories in late adolescence. Moreover, BMI fluctuation in adulthood was negatively associated with birth weight and length. No significant interactions were found between birth size characteristics and baseline BMI in explaining BMI trajectories and fluctuation at different stages of adolescence and adulthood. Among the identified associations, none remained significant in within-pair analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings suggest that birth size has a long-term influence on BMI development. However, these associations may not be due to the intrauterine environment but may rather indicate the role of shared genetic factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106373"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144893025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variation in digit ratio (2D:4D) across different types of military services in Poland","authors":"Marek Kociuba ,&nbsp;Sławomir Kozieł ,&nbsp;Raja Chakraborty ,&nbsp;Zofia Ignasiak ,&nbsp;Piotr Sorokowski","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The relationship between the second (2D) and fourth finger (4D) of the hand (2D:4D) is considered to be a proxy indicator of prenatal- testosterone (PT) and estrogen (PE) exposure in the first trimester of pregnancy. A lower 2D:4D indicates relatively higher PT exposure and vice versa. The 2D:4D is generally higher in women than in men. Lower 2D:4D is associated with greater physical ability, strength, better athletic performance, and a propensity for jobs that require more physical fitness and are more risky.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>The aim of the present study was to examine the differences in 2D:4D, if any, between three groups of men in Poland: military students (N = 250), soldiers of the Land Forces (N = 106) and volunteers of the Territorial Defense Force (N = 202).</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>This cross-sectional study was carried out in Military University of Land Forces (MULF) in Wroclaw, Poland. The measurements included body height, body weight and the lengths of the second and fourth fingers in both hand of each participant.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results showed significantly lower 2D:4D in land forces soldiers and military students than those belonged to the Territorial Defense Force.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The results indicated the possible impact of fetal androgens on specific human abilities as well as choices for challenging occupations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106371"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144893026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cord blood-derived cell therapies for preterm brain injury","authors":"Abdul Razak ,&nbsp;Lindsay Zhou ,&nbsp;Graham Jenkin ,&nbsp;Rod W. Hunt ,&nbsp;Suzanne L. Miller ,&nbsp;Courtney A. McDonald ,&nbsp;Atul Malhotra","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106369","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106369","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Preterm birth, defined as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, remains a leading contributor to neonatal morbidity and long-term neurodevelopmental impairments. Brain injuries such as intraventricular haemorrhage, white matter injury and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy are common in this population and are mediated by overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms including inflammation, cerebrovascular immaturity, cell death and impaired repair. Current therapeutic options for these conditions are limited and are largely supportive. Umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived cell therapy has emerged as a novel strategy to target these shared pathophysiological pathways. UCB contains diverse cell types—hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, endothelial progenitor cells and regulatory T cells—with regenerative, immunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties. Preclinical studies in rodent and limited large-animal models show consistent benefits of UCB therapy, including attenuation of neuroinflammation, reduced apoptosis, promotion of oligodendrocyte maturation and improved functional outcomes. However, variability in model design and lack of long-term endpoints hinder clinical translation. Clinical research into cord blood-derived therapies for preterm brain injury is still in its early stages, with most studies to date focused on feasibility and safety rather than efficacy. While preventative approaches have dominated, therapeutic trials for infants with established brain injury remain limited. Small case series suggest potential benefits in intraventricular haemorrhage, but other injury types, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, stroke, or cerebellar haemorrhage, remain largely unexplored in the preterm population. Recent studies using reinfusion of a preterm infant's own cord blood derived cells show promising safety and early signs of reduced risk for conditions like cerebral palsy. Larger efficacy trials are now underway, including those targeting severe, established preterm brain injuries, marking a significant step toward clinical application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106369"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144908098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neurodevelopmental effects of opioids in preterm infants – A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised and observational studies","authors":"Maya Rakshasbhuvankar ,&nbsp;Chandra Rath ,&nbsp;Sachin Agrawal ,&nbsp;Sanjay Patole","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Opioids are commonly used to reduce pain and distress in preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units. However, there is a concern that exposure to opioids may adversely affect their neurodevelopment.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (OSs) to investigate the effect of opioids on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. We followed the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and those for the synthesis of OSs. Results were pooled when at least two studies reported the outcome. We performed a qualitative synthesis for data not suitable for pooling.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The systematic review included 21 records of 16 studies (13 OSs [<em>n</em> = 2993] and three RCTs [<em>n</em> = 180]). Quantitative analysis was possible for ten studies. The certainty of evidence was ‘very low’ for all outcomes. The risk of neurodevelopmental impairment, the primary outcome, was not increased in opioid exposed preterm infants (OR: 1.15, 95 % CIs: 0.64, 2.08, 5 OSs, <em>n</em> = 697 and OR: 1.29, 95 % CIs: 0.56, 3.01, 2 RCTs, <em>n</em> = 151). There was no increase in adverse secondary outcomes apart from lower motor scores at 2–3 years of age (MD: -6.19, 85 % CI: −11.26, −1.11, 4 OSs, <em>n</em> = 692) in the opioid group. On qualitative analysis of adjusted data, opioids showed variable effects: ten reports suggested harm, two suggested benefit and two suggested no impact, while the results were inconsistent in three reports.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The current evidence for the effect of opioids on neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants is inconclusive and of very low certainty.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106357"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144866141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interaction effect of gestational age on the association between sleep and neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood: A longitudinal study from birth to 24 months","authors":"Peggy Hiu Ying Chan ,&nbsp;Ching Man Lai ,&nbsp;Patrick C.M. Wong ,&nbsp;Hugh Simon Lam","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To investigate how gestational age at birth (GA) affects the sleep durations from birth to 24 months old and its association with neurocognitive outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>Longitudinal sleep data from birth to 24 months of age were collected using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ). Of the 481 participants, 259 underwent neurodevelopment assessments at 24 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Daytime sleep (DS) in the first 3 months(3 m) significantly differed between term-born infants and moderate to late preterm (MLPT) infants (6.32 vs 6.86 h; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Shorter DS and longer nighttime sleep (NS) after 3 months of age were significantly associated with better language outcome. Significant interaction between GA and 24-month NS indicates that this effect was stronger in infants born at a more mature GA. Longer DS from birth to 24 months was associated with a 29 % to 48 % higher risk of language delay. GA also influenced the effect of 6-month total sleep (TS) on predicting the risk of cognitive, language, and motor delay, suggesting a higher risk of delay for more premature infants who sleep longer at 6 months.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study revealed the complex associations between longitudinal infant sleep and neurodevelopmental outcomes, with GA serving as a moderating factor. The study highlights a need to further explore the associations between GA, early life sleep durations, and neurodevelopmental outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106354"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between fetal movement and maternal-fetal attachment in late pregnancy.","authors":"Kathy Ayala, Lissa Falcioni, Jeff Eilbott, Jocelyn Lamore, Kristin Voegtline, Helena J V Rutherford","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106351","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106351","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) represents the evolving psychological bond between a pregnant person and their fetus, reflecting early emotional investment and expectations of the maternal role. Maternal awareness and response to fetal movement are key components of MFA, suggesting that fetal activity may serve as a meaningful cue in the development of maternal representations of the baby. Previous work shows that engaging in fetal movement counting significantly enhances MFA scores, and mothers who perceive greater fetal movements have higher MFA scores compared to those who perceive fewer movements. However, it remains unclear if this association reflects perception alone, or whether associations between objective fetal movement and MFA exist. Therefore, we objectively measured fetal movement alongside MFA in 51 pregnant women (mean age 28.9 years, SD = 6.0) in their third trimester (mean gestational weeks 36.7, SD = 2.2). Fetal movement was objectively measured with a Toitu MT-516 fetal actocardiograph and MFA was assessed using the Prenatal Attachment Inventory-Revised. Greater fetal movement was associated with higher MFA scores, independent of maternal mood, parity, knowledge of fetal sex, and gestational age. Taken together, these findings underscore the relevance of fetal movement within the psychology of pregnancy, suggesting that fetal movement outside of maternal perception may function as a communicative signal to enhance MFA. As maternal-fetal attachment is linked to postpartum bonding and caregiving, understanding these prenatal associations provides insight into how early psychological and relational processes shape postnatal development across the perinatal period.</p>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"106351"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144798480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brain ultrasound radiomics identify textural differences in basal ganglia and white matter between full term newborns HIV-exposed uninfected and HIV-unexposed in Botswana.","authors":"Laith R Sultan, Karen I Ramirez-Suarez, Sara Rae Schenkel, Monica Miranda Schaeubinger, Carmen Cerron-Vela, Samuel W Kgole, Gosego Masasa, Boitshepo Phale, Joseph Makhema, Thuso Mokane, Elizabeth D Lowenthal, Kathleen M Powis, Hansel J Otero","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106368","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106368","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over 1 million infants born annually with fetal exposure to HIV and maternal antiretroviral treatment (ART) who remain HIV-uninfected (HEU) are at higher risk of neurodevelopmental delays compared to infants HIV-unexposed (HU).</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We explored the use of brain ultrasound radiomics, specifically texture analysis, as an early imaging neurodevelopmental biomarker, comparing findings by newborn in utero HIV exposure status.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Brain ultrasound was performed on full-term newborns (≥ 37 weeks gestation) enrolled in a prospective observational study in Botswana. Radiomic ultrasound features, including first-order statistics, run-length, and co-occurrence matrix parameters, were extracted from the basal ganglia and periventricular white matter. Statistical comparisons were conducted based on fetal exposure to maternal HIV. The diagnostic performance of individual features was assessed, and logistic regression was used to combine the features for overall performance evaluation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-three infants (HEU: 20, HU: 13) were included in the analysis. The basal ganglia of HEU infants exhibited significantly lower heterogeneity (176.6 ± 10.76 vs. 205.97 ± 13.26, p = 0.04) and entropy (0.37 ± 0.01 vs. 0.41 ± 0.01, p = 0.03), and marginally lower gray level non-uniformity (310.04 ± 15.32 vs. 352.37 ± 24.20, p = 0.06) compared to HU infants, suggesting reduced parenchymal complexity. These combined radiomic features yielded an AUC of 0.72 with a specificity of 0.86. Similar trends were observed in the white matter, where HEU infants demonstrated marginally lower heterogeneity (191.66 ± 14.32 vs. 231.76 ± 17.34, p = 0.06). Gray level non-uniformity and run length non-uniformity were significantly lower in the HEU group (1996.87 ± 157.06 vs. 2487.43 ± 223.67, p = 0.04 and 284.66 ± 20.37 vs. 406.61 ± 47.77, p = 0.01, respectively). The combined white matter model demonstrated an AUC of 0.76 and a sensitivity of 0.86, indicating greater discriminatory power compared to the basal ganglia.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ultrasound radiomics reveals distinct differences in brain texture between HEU and HU newborns, with significant findings in both basal ganglia and white matter features. These results highlight the potential of radiomics in identifying subtle neuroanatomical variations. Further research is needed to explore the neurodevelopmental implications of these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"106368"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144803769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal involvement and the language environment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) – a cohort study","authors":"Megumi Mori ,&nbsp;Alicia Hersey ,&nbsp;Richard Tucker ,&nbsp;Melinda Caskey ,&nbsp;Betty R. Vohr ,&nbsp;Elisabeth C. McGowan","doi":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106353","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Preterm infants are at increased risk for language delays. Increased word exposure in the NICU is associated with increased child language skills at 2 years. Additionally, increased maternal involvement in infant care in the NICU is associated with improved outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Aims</h3><div>To examine associations between maternal involvement in the NICU and early infant language exposures and vocalizations.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>Outcome data were obtained for the control arm of a larger RCT at Women &amp; Infant's Hospital NICU from January 2013 to August 2016 which enrolled infants &lt; 32 weeks gestational age. Audio environment was captured and analyzed for adult word count (AWC), child vocalizations (CV) and conversational turns (CT) at 32-, 34- and 36-weeks PMA. Infant chart was reviewed for total hours of maternal involvement (visitation, skin-to-skin contact, holding, touching, bedside care and feeding participation) per recording day.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>As infant gestational age increased, maternal feeding involvement and infant holding increased, while skin-to-skin care decreased. Aggregate counts of maternal involvements over all recording days showed 51 % of mothers participated in 5–6 involvements and 4 % in 0 involvements. Negative binomial model showed that for every stepwise increase in maternal involvement, there was a 116 % increase (rate ratio 2.16; 1.78–2.62; p &lt; 0.0001) in AWCs and a subsequent 74 % increase (rate ratio 1.74; 1.47–2.05, p &lt; 0.0001) in CTs over the 3 recordings.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Infants of mother with increased involvement experienced increased exposure to AWC and responded with increased CTs. Increasing opportunities and types of parental care involvement are ideal methods of fostering early language development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11435,"journal":{"name":"Early human development","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 106353"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144841986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}