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BackgroundDelayed walking is common in intellectual disability (ID) but may be less common when ID occurs with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous studies examining this were limited by reliance on clinical samples and exclusion of children with severe motor deficits.ObjectiveTo examine in a population-based sample if age of walking is differentially related to intellectual ability in children with ASD versus other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD).MethodsParticipants were from the nested Autism Birth Cohort Study of the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Cox proportional hazards regression assessed if diagnosis (ASD n = 212 vs. NDD n = 354), continuous nonverbal IQ, and their interaction, were associated with continuous age of walking.ResultsThe relationship between nonverbal IQ and age of walking was stronger for NDD than for ASD (Group × nonverbal IQ interaction, χ2  = 13.93, p = .0002). This interaction was characterized by a 21% decrease in the likelihood of walking onset at any given time during the observation period per 10-point decrease in nonverbal IQ (hazard ratio = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.78-0.85) in the NDD group compared to 8% (hazard ratio = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.98) in the ASD group.ConclusionsThe finding that age of walking is less strongly related to low intellectual ability in children with ASD than in children without other NDDs supports the hypothesis that ID in ASD may result from heterogeneous developmental pathways. Late walking may be a useful stratification variable in etiological research focused on ASD and other NDDs.

Introduction Methods Results Conclusions Bipolar disorder (BD) hospitalization rates in children and adolescents vary greatly across place and over time. There are no population‐based studies on youth BD hospitalizations in Spain.We identified all patients aged 10–19 hospitalized due to BD in Spain between 2000 and 2021, examined their demographic and clinical characteristics, and assessed temporal trends in hospitalizations – overall and stratified by age and presence of additional psychiatric comorbidity. We used Joinpoint regressions to identify inflection points and quantify whole‐period and annual percentage changes (APCs) in trends.Of 4770 BD hospitalizations in 10–19‐year‐olds between 2000 and 2021 (average annual rate: 4.8 per 100,000), over half indicated an additional psychiatric comorbidity, most frequently substance abuse (62.2%), mostly due to cannabis (72.4%). During the study period, admissions increased twofold with an inflection point: Rates increased annually only between 2000 and 2008, for APCs 34.0% (95% confidence interval: 20.0%, 71.1%) among 10–14‐year‐olds, 10.3% (6.4%, 14.3%) among 15–19‐year‐olds, and 15.5% (11.5%, 22.7%) among patients with additional psychiatric comorbidity. Between 2009 and 2021, rates decreased moderately among 10–14‐year‐olds – APC: −8.3% (−14.1%, −4.4%) and slightly among 15–19‐year‐olds without additional psychiatric comorbidity – APC: −2.6(−5.7, −1.0), remaining largely stable among 15–19‐year‐olds overall.Recent trends in hospitalization due to BD in 10–19‐year‐olds in Spain indicate salient increases in the early 2000s – especially among (i) patients aged 10–14 (decreasing moderately after 2009 among 10–14‐year‐olds and plateauing among 15–19‐year‐olds) and (ii) patients with additional psychiatric comorbidity (i.e., cannabis use disorder). These findings suggest links with recent changes in clinical practices for children and recent trends in substance use among Spanish youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a treatment gap for those living with severe mental illnesses in low- and middle-income countries, yet not enough is known about those who are currently accessing clinical services. A better understanding of potentially modifiable factors associated with functioning and quality of life will help inform policies and programming. Aims: To describe the functioning and quality of life for a psychiatric treatment-engaged population living with psychotic disorders in two urban areas of Tanzania, and to explore their respective correlates. Methods: This study analyzed cross-sectional data from 66 individuals enrolled in the Kuwezeshana Kupata Uzima (KUPAA) pilot clinical trial who had a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, recent relapse, and who were receiving outpatient treatment. Baseline functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0) and quality of life (WHO Quality of Life BREF scale) were measured. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were conducted to determine correlates of functioning and quality of life. Results: Adjusted analyses indicated that higher disability was associated with higher food insecurity, more symptomatology, more self-stigma, less instrumental support, less hope, lower self-efficacy, and/or lower levels of family functioning. Higher quality of life was associated with higher levels of self-efficacy, more hopefulness, more instrumental support, less self-stigma, and better family functioning. Conclusions: Identification of factors associated with disability and quality of life can help clinicians and policymakers, as well as consumers of mental health services, to better co-design and target psychosocial interventions to optimize their impact in low-resource settings. Trial registration: Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT04013932, July 10, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the association between maternal early pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and offspring bipolar disorder (BPD). Methods: We conducted a nationwide cohort study among 1,507,056 non‐malformed singleton live‐births in Sweden born 1983–2004. Using national registries with prospectively recorded information, we followed participants for a BPD diagnosis from ages 13 to up to 35 years. We compared BPD risks by early pregnancy BMI using hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) from adjusted Cox models. We also conducted sibling‐controlled analyses among 874,047 full siblings. Results: There were 9970 BPD diagnoses. Risk of BPD was 0.72% through 25 years of age. Maternal early pregnancy BMI was positively associated with offspring BPD risk. Compared with normal BMI (18.5–24.9), adjusted HR (95% CI) for overweight (BMI 25–29.9), obesity grade 1 (BMI 30–34.9), and obesity grades 2–3 (BMI ≥35) were 1.08 (1.02, 1.15), 1.26 (1.14, 1.40), and 1.31 (1.07, 1.60), respectively. Adjusted HR per unit BMI was 1.015 (95% CI 1.009, 1.021). A similar trend was observed among siblings. Pregnancy and neonatal complications did not substantially mediate the association between maternal obesity (BMI ≥30) and offspring BPD. Conclusions: Maternal BMI ≥25 is associated with offspring BPD risk in a dose–response manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delays and loss of early‐emerging social‐communication skills are often discussed as unique to autism. However, most studies of regression have relied on retrospective recall and clinical samples. Here, we examine attainment and loss of social‐communication skills in the population‐based Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Methods: Mothers rated their child's attainment of 10 early‐emerging social‐communication skills at ages 18 and 36 months (N = 40,613, 50.9% male). Prospectively reported loss was defined as skill presence at 18 months but absence at 36 months. At 36 months, mothers also recalled whether the child had lost social‐communication skills. The Norwegian Patient Registry was used to capture diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (autism) and other neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs). Results: Delay in at least one skill was observed in 14% of the sample and loss in 5.4%. Recalled loss of social‐communication skills was rare (0.86%) and showed low convergence with prospectively reported loss. Delay and especially loss were associated with elevated odds of an autism diagnosis (n = 383) versus no autism diagnosis (n = 40,230; ≥3 skills delayed: OR = 7.09[4.15,12.11]; ≥3 skills lost: OR = 30.66[17.30,54.33]). They were also associated with an increased likelihood of autism compared to some other NDDs. Delay (relative risk [RR] = 4.16[2.08, 8.33]) and loss (RR = 10.00[3.70, 25.00]) associated with increased likelihood of autism versus ADHD, and loss (RR = 4.35[1.28,14.29]), but not delay (RR = 2.00[0.78,5.26]), associated with increased likelihood of autism compared to language disability. Conversely, delay conferred decreased likelihood of autism versus intellectual disability (RR = 0.11[0.06,0.21]), and loss was not reliably associated with likelihood of autism versus intellectual disability (RR = 1.89[0.44,8.33]). Conclusions: This population‐based study suggests that loss of early social communication skills is more common than studies using retrospective reports have indicated and is observed across several NDD diagnoses (not just autism). Nevertheless, most children with NDD diagnoses showed no reported delay or loss in these prospectively measured skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]