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[Source:  UCSF.edu]

The ability for substances to pass through the blood-brain barrier is increased after adult stroke, but not after neonatal stroke, according to a new study the UCSF that will be published July 11 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

 

The novel findings may have major implications for drug development and the treatment of neonatal stroke, the researchers said.

 

[Source:  UNC Healthcare]

 

The First Year Inventory, a 10-minute questionnaire filled out by parents after a child's first birthday, shows promise in identifying children who are later diagnosed with autism or other developmental problems.

 

A new study by University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers found that 31 percent of children identified as at risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at 12 months received a confirmed diagnosis of ASD by age 3 years.

[Source:  NIH News]

 

Annual statistics compilation notes increases in poverty, drop in secure parental employment

The infant mortality rate, the preterm birth rate, and the adolescent birth rate all continued to decline, average mathematics scores increased for 4th and 8th grade students, the violent crime victimization rate among youth fell, as did the percentage of young children living in a home where someone smoked, according to the federal government's annual statistical report on the well-being of the nation's children and youth.

 

However, the percentage of children living in poverty increased, and the percentage of children with at least one parent employed full time, year-round decreased, the report said.

[Source:  Science Daily]

 

Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found a drug that boosts memory function in those with Down syndrome, a major milestone in the treatment of this genetic disorder that could significantly improve quality of life.

 

"Before now there had never been any positive results in attempts to improve cognitive abilities in persons with Down syndrome through medication," said Alberto Costa, MD, Ph.D., who led the four- year study at the CU School of Medicine. "This is the first time we have been able to move the needle at all and that means improvement is possible."

[Source:  Science Daily]

Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) pioneered the study of the link between irregularities in the immune system and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism a decade ago. Since then, studies of postmortem brains and of individuals with autism, as well as epidemiological studies, have supported the correlation between alterations in the immune system and autism spectrum disorder.

 

[Source:  Science Daily]

 

Drugs used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) do not appear to have long-term effects on the brain, according to new animal research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

As many as five to seven percent of elementary school children are diagnosed with ADHD, a behavioral disorder that causes problems with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination of these traits. Many of these children are treated with psychostimulant drugs, and while doctors and scientists know a lot about how these drugs work and their effectiveness, little is known about their long-term effects.

[Source: Medical News Today]

 

Children suffering from anxiety and depression could significantly benefit from a novel intervention called Emotion Detectives Treatment Protocol (EDTP), say researchers at the University of Miami. 

Anxiety affects around 8 to 22% of children and is often combined with other conditions, such as depression. According to the study, published online in the journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, the severity of anxiety and depression significantly reduced among children who received treatment with EDTP.