development

Storytime Sets Foundation for Reading Comprehension

Parent-child reading increases activation of brain networks supporting emergent literacy in 3-5 year-old children.

Hutton, J.S., Horowitz-Kraus, T., DeWitt, T. & Holland, S. (April, 2015). Parent-child reading increases activation of brain networks supporting emergent literacy in 3-5 year-old children: An fMRI study. Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy

Norwegian cohort study links antidepressant use during pregnancy to anxiety in toddlers.

Finland cohort study finds treatment of maternal psychiatric disorders with SSRIs may lower risk of preterm birth and cesarean section but raise risk of neonatal complications.

Brandlistuen, R.E., Ystrom, E.,  Eberhard-Gran, M., Nulman, I., Koren, G. & Nordeng, H. (2015). Behavioural effects of fetal antidepressant exposure in a Norwegian cohort of discordant siblings. International Journal of Epidemiology. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyv030

Malm, H., Sourander, A., Gissler, M., Gyllenberg, D., Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, S., McKeague, I.W., Artama, M. & Brown A.S. (2015). Pregnancy complications following prenatal exposure to SSRIs or maternal psychiatric disorders: Results from population-based national register data. American Journal of Psychiatry. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.1412157

Air Pollutants (PAHs) and Brain Development

LA and NYC researchers link perinatal exposure to air pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) with slower processing and ADHD symptoms via effect on brain's white matter.

Peterson, B.S., Rauch, V.A., Bansal, R., Hao, X., Toth, Z., Nati, G., Walsh, K., Miller, R.L., Semanek, D. & Perera, F. (2015). Effects of prenatal exposure to air pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) on the development of brain white matter, cognition and behavior in later childhood. JAMA Psychiatry. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.57