Autonomic nervous system functioning in early childhood: responses to laboratory challenges, individual differences, and relations to child self-regulation

The goals of this study were (a) to examine children’s normative sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses toward distinct emotional and cognitive laboratory challenges from preschool to grade 1 and to compare the magnitude of ANS responses across these challenges, (b) to examine the associations between sympathetic and parasympathetic ANS responses during laboratory challenges, (c) to examine stability (or instability) and continuity (or change) in ANS functioning from preschool to grade 1, and (d) to examine profiles of children with distinct patterns of sympathetic and parasympathetic functioning in preschool, and to test whether these profiles differ with respect to children’s self-regulation outcomes in preschool and one year later. Two hundred and seventy-eight children and their caregivers (96% mothers) participated in laboratory assessments when children were in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade, and teachers reported on children’s behavior when children were in kindergarten. Children’s sympathetic and parasympathetic ANS responses were measured during 2 emotionally demanding and 2 cognitively demanding laboratory challenges in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. Three self-regulation outcomes were assessed: (a) executive functioning, (b) emotional reactivity/regulation, and (c) behavioral regulation in the classroom. In preschool, executive functioning was measured using 3 tasks designed to assess working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility; emotion regulation was observed during frustrating challenges; and mothers reported on children’s emotional reactivity. In kindergarten, teachers reported on children’s emotional reactivity and behavioral regulation composed of attention control, discipline/persistence, and work habits in the classroom. Although children, on average, demonstrated parasympathetic inhibition (RSA withdrawal) across all challenges, they showed sympathetic responsivity only during certain challenges. In particular, the cognitively demanding problem-solving Tangrams task, on average, elicited sympathetic activation (PEP shortening) across all time points, whereas the less challenging Go/No-Go task, did not lead to a change in sympathetic activity in preschool or kindergarten but led to sympathetic activation in grade 1. Four blocked-goal frustration tasks (Locked Box, Impossible to Open Gift, Puzzle Box, & Broken Toy) did not lead to a change in sympathetic ANS activity from baseline to task, whereas the two interpersonally upsetting tasks (Toy Removal and Not Sharing) led to sympathetic inhibition (PEP lengthening). There was a positive association between sympathetic and parasympathetic responsivity during only certain challenges (e.g., Tangrams & Locked Box in preschool, Not Sharing & Impossible to Open Gift in kindergarten), such that greater sympathetic activation was associated with greater parasympathetic withdrawal. There was moderate stability in ANS children’s responsivity across different tasks within the same assessment. There was modest stability in parasympathetic ANS responses but no stability in sympathetic responses toward laboratory challenges across time. In regards to developmental continuity/change, both baseline sympathetic and parasympathetic ANS activity increased from preschool to first grade. However, there was no clear pattern of change in children’s ANS responsivity toward the cognitively demanding laboratory challenges over time, suggesting that mean level ANS responsivity scores were mostly continuous over time. Finally, the latent profile analyses yielded four profiles of ANS functioning: (a) a buffered profile with moderate ANS responsivity, (b) a sensitive profile with high ANS responsivity, (c) a coinhibition profile, and (d) a vigilant profile. Children in the sensitive profile demonstrated better executive functioning than children in the buffered and the vigilant groups. The buffered profile showed lower levels of emotional reactivity than the sensitive profile, and better behavioral regulation than the sensitive, coinhibition, and vigilant groups. Profiles did not differ with respect to mothers’ report of emotional reactivity or observed emotion regulation

Structural brain correlates of childhood inhibited temperament: an ENIGMA-Anxiety Mega-analysis

NWORubicon 019.201SG.022Pathways through Adolescenc

Component-specific developmental trajectories of ERP indices of cognitive control in early childhood

Early childhood is characterized by robust developmental changes in cognitive control. However, our understanding of intra-individual change in neural indices of cognitive control during this period remains limited. Here, we examined developmental changes in event-related potential (ERP) indices of cognitive control from preschool through first grade, in a large and diverse sample of children (N = 257). We recorded ERPs during a visual Go/No-Go task. N2 and P3b mean amplitudes were extracted from the observed waveforms (Go and No-Go) and the difference wave (No-Go minus Go, or ∆). Latent growth curve modeling revealed that while N2 Go and No-Go amplitudes showed no linear change, P3b Go and No-Go amplitudes displayed linear decreases in magnitude (became less positive) over time. ∆N2 amplitude demonstrated a linear increase in magnitude (became more negative) over time whereas ∆P3b amplitude was more positive in kindergarten compared to preschool. Younger age in preschool predicted greater rates of change in ∆N2 amplitude, and higher maternal education predicted larger initial P3b Go and No-Go amplitudes in preschool. Our findings suggest that observed waveforms and difference waves are not interchangeable for indexing neurodevelopment, and the developmental trajectories of different ERP indices of cognitive control are component-specific in early childhood

Component-Specific Developmental Trajectories of ERP Indices of Cognitive Control in Early Childhood

Early childhood is characterized by robust developmental changes in cognitive control. However, our understanding of intra-individual change in neural indices of cognitive control during this period remains limited. Here, we examined developmental changes in event-related potential (ERP) indices of cognitive control from preschool through first grade, in a large and diverse sample of children (N = 257). We recorded ERPs during a visual Go/No-Go task. N2 and P3b mean amplitudes were extracted from the observed waveforms (Go and No-Go) and the difference wave (No-Go minus Go, or ∆). Latent growth curve modeling revealed that while N2 Go and No-Go amplitudes showed no linear change, P3b Go and No-Go amplitudes displayed linear decreases in magnitude (became less positive) over time. ∆N2 amplitude demonstrated a linear increase in magnitude (became more negative) over time whereas ∆P3b amplitude was more positive in kindergarten compared to preschool. Younger age in preschool predicted greater rates of change in ∆N2 amplitude, and higher maternal education predicted larger initial P3b Go and No-Go amplitudes in preschool. Our findings suggest that observed waveforms and difference waves are not interchangeable for indexing neurodevelopment, and the developmental trajectories of different ERP indices of cognitive control are component-specific in early childhood

Effects of foster care intervention and caregiving quality on the bidirectional development of executive functions and social skills following institutional rearing

Institutional rearing negatively impacts the development of children's social skills and executive functions (EF). However, little is known about whether childhood social skills mediate the effects of the foster care intervention (FCG) and foster caregiving quality following early institutional rearing on EF and social skills in adolescence. We examined (a) whether children's social skills at 8 years mediate the impact of the FCG on the development of EF at ages 12 and 16 years, and (b) whether social skills and EF at ages 8 and 12 mediate the relation between caregiving quality in foster care at 42 months and subsequent social skills and EF at age 16. Participants included abandoned children from Romanian institutions, who were randomly assigned to a FCG (n = 68) or care as usual (n = 68), and a never-institutionalized group (n = 135). At ages 8, 12, and 16, social skills were assessed via caregiver and teacher reports and EF were assessed via the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Caregiving quality of foster caregivers was observed at 42 months. FCG predicted better social skills at 8 years, which in turn predicted better EF in adolescence. Higher caregiver quality in foster care at 42 months predicted better social skills at 8 and 12 years, and better EF at 12 years, which in turn predicted 16-year EF and social skills. These findings suggest that interventions targeting caregiving quality within foster care home environments may have long-lasting positive effects on children's social skills and EF.https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.1330

Annual Research Review: Developmental pathways linking early behavioral inhibition to later anxiety

Behavioral Inhibition is a temperament identified in the first years of life that enhances the risk for development of anxiety during late childhood and adolescence. Amongst children characterized with this temperament, only around 40 percent go on to develop anxiety disorders, meaning that more than half of these children do not. Over the past 20 years, research has documented within-child and socio-contextual factors that support differing developmental pathways. This review provides a historical perspective on the research documenting the origins of this temperament, its biological correlates, and the factors that enhance or mitigate risk for development of anxiety. We review as well, research findings from two longitudinal cohorts that have identified moderators of behavioral inhibition in understanding pathways to anxiety. Research on these moderators has led us to develop the Detection and Dual Control (DDC) framework to understand differing developmental trajectories among behaviorally inhibited children. In this review, we use this framework to explain why and how specific cognitive and socio-contextual factors influence differential pathways to anxiety versus resilience.https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.1370

Which anxious adolescents were most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant stress and anxiety among many, individuals’ experiences varied. We examined if specific forms of anxiety predicted distinct trajectories of anxiety, perceived stress, and COVID-related worries during three early months of the pandemic. In a longitudinal study (N = 291), adolescents’ (n = 194) social and generalized anxiety levels were assessed via parent- and self-reports and clinical diagnostic interviews. In young adulthood (n = 164), anxiety, stress, and COVID-related worries were assessed thrice during the pandemic. Pre-pandemic generalized anxiety predicted higher initial levels and maintenance of anxiety, stress, and COVID-related worries during the pandemic. In contrast, pre-pandemic social anxiety predicted lower initial levels of anxiety, stress, and COVID-related worries, but this initial effect on anxiety and stress was offset over time by social anxiety’s positive effect on the slope. Our results highlight the importance of understanding how pre-pandemic factors influence individuals’ experiences during the pandemic

Structured sparse multiset canonical correlation analysis of simultaneous fNIRS and EEG provides new insights into the human action-observation network

The action observation network (AON) is a network of brain regions involved in the execution and observation of a given action. The AON has been investigated in humans using mostly electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), but shared neural correlates of action observation and action execution are still unclear due to lack of ecologically valid neuroimaging measures. In this study, we used concurrent EEG and functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the AON during a live-action observation and execution paradigm. We developed structured sparse multiset canonical correlation analysis (ssmCCA) to perform EEG-fNIRS data fusion. MCCA is a generalization of CCA to more than two sets of variables and is commonly used in medical multimodal data fusion. However, mCCA suffers from multi-collinearity, high dimensionality, unimodal feature selection, and loss of spatial information in interpreting the results. A limited number of participants (small sample size) is another problem in mCCA, which leads to overfitted models. Here, we adopted graph-guided (structured) fused least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalty to mCCA to conduct feature selection, incorporating structural information amongst the variables (i.e., brain regions). Benefitting from concurrent recordings of brain hemodynamic and electrophysiological responses, the proposed ssmCCA finds linear transforms of each modality such that the correlation between their projections is maximized. Our analysis of 21 right-handed participants indicated that the left inferior parietal region was active during both action execution and action observation. Our findings provide new insights into the neural correlates of AON which are more fine-tuned than the results from each individual EEG or fNIRS analysis and validate the use of ssmCCA to fuse EEG and fNIRS datasets