Zajedno do gradova i općina prijatelja djece - 10 godina akcije

Prije nešto više od 10 godina, 20.11. 1999. godine na svečanom skupu u Zagrebu, povodom deset godina Konvencije UN-a o pravima djeteta, službeno je pokrenuta akcija Gradovi i općine – prijatelji djece kojom je svjetska ideja „gradovi – prijatelji djece“ započela utirati svoj put boljeg i potpunijeg ostvarivanja prava i potreba djece u Hrvatskoj. Ovu društvenu akciju, poticajnog i simboličnog naziva, nakon višemjesečnih priprema i razrada, inicirale su i pokrenule dvije partnerske organizacije: Savez društava Naša djeca Hrvatske i Hrvatsko društvo za preventivnu i socijalnu pedijatriju, uz pokroviteljstvo Ureda UNICEF-a u Hrvatskoj. Već početkom 2000.-te godine prva gradska i općinska poglavarstva uključuju se u nju

IS FOUR-DIMENSIONAL (4D) ULTRASOUND ENTERING A NEW FIELD OF FETAL PSYCHIATRY?

The aim of is to explore whether by observing the fetus by 4D US it is possible to enter fetal behavior, emotions, mental status, consciousness, awareness and other states connected with fetal mind and ability of self-regulation. It is well known that fetal motoric activity is enabling the development of central and peripheral nervous system and the muscles. It is 4D US which enabled to investigate fetal movement patterns from the first trimester of pregnancy throughout the whole pregnancy. Based on the evaluation of fetal spontaneous motor activity by 4D US, a prenatal neurologic scoring test named Kurjak Antenatal Neurodevelopmental Test (KANET) was created. This test has been used to assess almost 2000 fetuses and our results have indicated that KANET has an ability to recognize normal, borderline, and abnormal behavior in fetuses from normal and abnormal pregnancies. The fetus is able to process tactile, vestibular, taste, olfactory, auditory and visual sensations. The fetus responds to painful stimuli with a wide spectrum of reactions. Important external signs of emotion are facial expressions. The existence of a wide range of facial expressions, including grimacing, smiling, crying, similar to emotional expressions in adults, has been revealed by 4D sonography in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. It is questionable if mental, emotional and behavioral conditions of the fetus were covered in this paper and whether we are able to perceive the fetus as the patient who may develop communication or some other psychiatric disorders which we will be hopefully able to recognize prenatally. Although it seems as the speculation from the point of view of our recent diagnostic possibilities, it is apparent that the day when this will be a reality is rapidly approaching

Cognitive Development and Intelligence, Mental Health and Mental Disorders – Do They Have an Antenatal Origin?

Ljudski je mozak nevjerojatan i fascinantan organ u svakom pogledu. Prirodi je trebalo nekoliko milijardi godina da evolucijom konstruira i usavrši tako sofisticiranu arhitekturu s beskonačnim spektrom savršeno koordiniranih funkcija i nevjerojatnom mogućnosti promjene i prilagodbe. Danas nam razvoj tehnologije omogućuje da potraga za razumijevanjem ljudskih kognitivnih sposobnosti i prilagodbe na složeni okoliš obuhvati i ono ključno razdoblje u kojem se odvija razvoj najsloženije strukture u ljudskom tijelu – prenatalno razdoblje. Uvidom u fetalne procese razvoja mozga i živčanog sustava pomalo se potvrđuje teorija kako većina moždanih funkcija koje proučavamo već godinama svoj začetak imaju upravo u prenatalnom razdoblju. Isto tako, međuigra između genoma, epigenoma i okoline oblikuje fenotip ljudskog zdravlja ili bolesti, čak i prije rođenja. Čini se da je došlo pravo vrijeme za promociju nove specijalnosti prenatalne i perinatalne psihijatrije.The human brain is an incredible and fascinating organ in every respect. It took nature several billion years of evolution to construct and perfect such a sophisticated neural architecture with an infinite spectrum of perfectly coordinated functions and amazing capability for change and adaptation. Today, the advancement of technology has enabled us to strive to understand human cognitive capabilities and adaptation to an elaborate environment, which includes that crucial period in which the most complex structure in the human body develops – the prenatal period. Insights into the processes of fetal brain and central nervous system development are gradually confirming the theory that most brain functions we have been studying for years have their origin in the prenatal period. Similarly, the interplay between the genome, epigenome, and environment shapes a phenotype of human health or illness even before birth. It seems that the time has come for a recognized specialty in Prenatal and Perinatal Psychiatry

Zajedno do gradova i općina prijatelja djece - 10 godina akcije

Prije nešto više od 10 godina, 20.11. 1999. godine na svečanom skupu u Zagrebu, povodom deset godina Konvencije UN-a o pravima djeteta, službeno je pokrenuta akcija Gradovi i općine – prijatelji djece kojom je svjetska ideja „gradovi – prijatelji djece“ započela utirati svoj put boljeg i potpunijeg ostvarivanja prava i potreba djece u Hrvatskoj. Ovu društvenu akciju, poticajnog i simboličnog naziva, nakon višemjesečnih priprema i razrada, inicirale su i pokrenule dvije partnerske organizacije: Savez društava Naša djeca Hrvatske i Hrvatsko društvo za preventivnu i socijalnu pedijatriju, uz pokroviteljstvo Ureda UNICEF-a u Hrvatskoj. Već početkom 2000.-te godine prva gradska i općinska poglavarstva uključuju se u nju

Nitric oxide synthesis in placenta is increased in intrauterine growth restriction and fetal hypoxia

In order to study the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in the human placenta, we measured the concentration of its stable metabolite nitrite (NO2-) in the placentas of women with normal pregnancies and those from pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) with or without fetal hypoxia. We have measured nitrites by the Griess reaction in 15 placentas from IUGR pregnancies and 12 controls. Cerebroumbilical ratio (C:U) was recorded by color Doppler ultrasound and values below 1 were considered to be a predictor for fetal hypoxia. NO2- levels measured in pathological placentas were increased for at least 93% as compared to control. Subjects from pregnancies complicated by IUGR and fetal hypoxia had increased NO2- as compared to the placentas from pregnancies with IUGR and normal fetal oxygenation. NO production in placenta is increased in pregnancies with IUGR. This effect is more pronounced in those with compromised fetal oxygenation

Fetal cerebrovascular response to chronic hypoxia - implications for the prevention of brain damage

Fetal hypoxia is one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. One of the most severe sequels of fetal hypoxic insult is the development of perinatal brain lesions resulting in a spectrum of neurological disabilities, from minor cerebral disorders to cerebral palsy. One of the most important fetal adaptive responses to hypoxia is redistribution of blood flow towards the fetal brain, known as the 'brain sparing effect'. The fetal blood flow redistribution in favor of the fetal brain can be detected and quantified by the Doppler cerebral/umbilical ratio (C/U ratio = cerebral resistance index (CRI)/umbilical resistance index (URI)). Our studies on animal models and human fetuses have demonstrated clearly that this phenomenon cannot prevent the development of perinatal brain lesions in the case of severe or prolonged hypoxia. Fetal deterioration in chronic and severe hypoxia is characterized by the disappearance of the physiological cerebral vascular variability (vasoconstriction and vasodilatation), followed by an increase in cerebral vascular resistance. However, our latest study on growth-restricted and hypoxic human fetuses has shown that perinatal brain lesions can develop even before the loss of cerebrovascular variability. The fetal exposure to hypoxia can be quantified by using a new vascular score, the hypoxia index. This parameter, which takes into account the degree as well as duration of fetal hypoxia, can be calculated by summing the daily % C/U ratio reduction from the cut-off value 1 over the period of observation. According to our results, the use of this parameter, which calculates the cumulative, relative oxygen deficit, could allow for the first time the sensitive and reliable prediction and even prevention of adverse neurological outcome in pregnancies complicated by fetal hypoxia