19 research outputs found
Turner syndrome and sexual differentiation of the brain: implications for understanding male-biased neurodevelopmental disorders
Turner syndrome (TS) is one of the most common sex chromosome abnormalities. Affected individuals often show a unique pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses and are at increased risk for a number of other neurodevelopmental conditions, many of which are more common in typical males than typical females (e.g., autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). This phenotype may reflect gonadal steroid deficiency, haploinsufficiency of X chromosome genes, failure to express parentally imprinted genes, and the uncovering of X chromosome mutations. Understanding the contribution of these different mechanisms to outcome has the potential to improve clinical care for individuals with TS and to better our understanding of the differential vulnerability to and expression of neurodevelopmental disorders in males and females. In this paper, we review what is currently known about cognition and brain development in individuals with TS, discuss underlying mechanisms and their relevance to understanding male-biased neurodevelopmental conditions, and suggest directions for future research
Fluid flow through the sedimentary cover in northern Switzerland recorded by calcite-celestite veins (Oftringen borehole, Olten)
Abundant veins filled by calcite, celestite and pyrite were found in the
core of a 719 m deep borehole drilled in Oftringen near Olten, located
in the north-western Molasse basin, close to the thrust of the Folded
Jura. Host rocks are calcareous marl, argillaceous limestone and
limestone of the Dogger and Malm. The delta O-18 values of vein calcite
are lower than in host rock carbonate and, together with
microthermometric data from fluid inclusions in vein calcite, indicate
precipitation from a seawater-dominated fluid at average temperatures of
56-68A degrees C. Such temperatures were reached at the time of maximum
burial of the sedimentary pile in the late Miocene. The depth profile of
delta C-13 and Sr-87/Sr-86 values and Sr content of both whole-rock
carbonate and vein calcite show marked trends towards negative delta
C-13, high Sr-87/Sr-86, and low Sr content in the uppermost 50-150 m of
the Jurassic profile (upper Oxfordian). The Sr-87/Sr-86 of vein minerals
is generally higher than that of host rock carbonate, up to very high
values corresponding to Burdigalian seawater (Upper Marine Molasse,
Miocene), which represents the last marine incursion in the region. No
evidence for internally derived radiogenic Sr (clay minerals) has been
found and so an external source is required. S and O isotope composition
of vein celestite and pyrite can be explained by bacterial reduction of
Miocene seawater sulphate. The available data set suggests the vein
mineralization precipitated from descending Burdigalian seawater and not
from a fluid originating in the underlying Triassic evaporites
Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents with Turner Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
International audienceTurner syndrome (TS) is a genetic disorder, affecting 1/2500 to 1/3000 live female births, induced by partial or total deletion of one X chromosome. The neurocognitive profile of girls with TS is characterized by a normal Verbal IQ and weaknesses in visual-spatial, mathematics, and social cognitive domains. Executive functions (EFs) impairments have also been reported in these young patients. However, methodological differences across studies do not allow determination of which EFs are impaired and what is the magnitude of these impairments. The aim of this review was to clarify the EF profile of children and adolescents with TS. Sixteen samples, from thirteen studies, were included in the current meta-analysis. EFs measures used in these studies were classified into working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, or higher-order EFs tasks in accordance with Diamond’s model, Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168 (2013). Results confirmed that girls with TS had significant executive impairments with effect sizes varying from small (inhibitory control) to medium (cognitive flexibility) and large (working memory, higher-order EFs). Analyses by task revealed that cognitive inhibition may be more impaired than the other inhibitory control abilities. Heterogeneity across cognitive flexibility measures was also highlighted. Between-sample heterogeneity was observed for three tasks and the impact of participants’ characteristics on EFs was discussed. This meta-analysis confirms the necessity to assess, in patients living with TS, each EF by combining both visual and verbal tasks. Results also underline that, when studying girls with TS’ executive profile, it is important to explore the impact of moderator variables, such as IQ, parental socio-economic status, TS karyotype, psychiatric comorbidities, and hormonal treatment status