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Asperger syndrome (AS) patients show heterogeneous intelligence profiles and the validity of short forms for estimating intelligence has rarely been studied in this population. We analyzed the validity of Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WIS) short forms for estimating full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and assessing intelligence profiles in 29 AS patients. Only the Information and Block Design dyad meets the study criteria. No statistically significant differences were found between dyad scores and FSIQ scores (t(28) = 1.757; p = 0.09). The dyad has a high correlation with FSIQ, good percentage of variance explained (R[superscript 2] = 0.591; p less than 0.001), and high consistency with the FSIQ classification (chi[superscript 2](36) = 45.202; p = 0.14). Short forms with good predictive accuracy may not be accurate in clinical groups with atypical cognitive profiles such as AS patients.

Asperger syndrome (AS) patients show heterogeneous intelligence profiles and the validity of short forms for estimating intelligence has rarely been studied in this population. We analyzed the validity of Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WIS) short forms for estimating full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and assessing intelligence profiles in 29 AS patients. Only the Information and Block Design dyad meets the study criteria. No statistically significant differences were found between dyad scores and FSIQ scores ( t(28) = 1.757; p = 0.09). The dyad has a high correlation with FSIQ, good percentage of variance explained ( R = 0.591; p < 0.001), and high consistency with the FSIQ classification ( χ(36) = 45.202; p = 0.14). Short forms with good predictive accuracy may not be accurate in clinical groups with atypical cognitive profiles such as AS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There is considerable skepticism outside the US over the prevalence of pediatric bipolar disorder (BD). We wished to evaluate the epidemiology of BD in children and adolescents in non-US samples. Method: We reviewed studies on the prevalence of BD in children and adolescents in international samples. We also describe our sample of 27 children with BD at the University of Navarra. Results: There are important and frequently overlooked differences in the definition of BD between the International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10) and DSM-IV and methodological differences in epidemiological studies that may partially explain international differences in prevalence of pediatric BD. The prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorder in young adults in Switzerland is 11%. In Holland the 6-month prevalence of mania in adolescents was 1.9% and of hypomania 0.9%. Only 1.2% of hospitalized youth (<15 years) in Denmark and 1.7% of adolescents in Finland had BD. In our clinic, the prevalence of DSM-IV BD in children 5–18 years old is 4%, and of any mood disorders 27%. There are also data from Brazil, India and Turkey with varying results. Conclusion: Relative lack of data, ICD-10 and DSM-IV differences in diagnostic criteria, different levels of recognition of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as a true specialty in Europe, clinician bias against BD, an overdiagnosis of the disorder in USA and/or a true higher prevalence of pediatric BD in USA may explain these results. US–International differences may be a methodological artifact and research is needed in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Laboratory-based acute psychosocial stress induces salivary s-IgA changes in youth. • Puberty and maltreatment are major factors in explaining the s-IgA stress response. • Adolescents showed s-IgA release to stress while children did not show a response. • Children with maltreatment histories showed similar s-IgA responses to adolescents. • Maltreatment may advance adaptive immunological-related pubertal changes to stress. Mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) is an antibody protein-complex that plays a crucial role in immune first defense against infection. Although different immune biomarkers have been associated with stress-related psychopathology, s-IgA remains poorly studied, especially in youth. The present study investigated how s-IgA behaves in front of acute psychosocial stress in children and adolescents, including possible variability associated with developmental stage and history of childhood maltreatment (CM). 94 children and adolescents from 7 to 17 years (54 with a current psychiatric diagnostic and 40 healthy controls) drawn from a larger Spanish study were explored (EPI-Young Stress Project). To assess biological reactivity, participants provided five saliva samples during an acute laboratory-based psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Samples were assayed for s-IgA, as well as for cortisol. Pubertal development was ascertained by Tanner stage and CM following TASSCV criteria. We observed s-IgA fluctuations throughout the stressor, indicating the validity of TSST-C to stimulate s-IgA secretion (F(4,199) = 6.200, p <.001). Although s-IgA trajectories followed a reactivity and recovery pattern in adolescents, children exhibited no s-IgA response when faced with stress (F(4,197) = 3.406, p =.010). An interaction was found between s-IgA and CM (F(4,203) = 2.643, p =.035). Interestingly, an interaction between developmental stage, CM history and s-IgA reactivity was identified (F(12,343) = 2.036, p =.017); while children non-exposed to maltreatment exhibited no s-IgA changes to acute stress, children with a history of CM showed a similar response to adolescents, increasing their s-IgA levels after the psychosocial stressor. Acute psychosocial stress stimulates s-IgA secretion, but only after puberty. However, children with a history of maltreatment exhibited a response resembling that of adolescents, suggesting an early maturation of the immune system. Further studies are needed to clarify the validity of s-IgA as an acute stress biomarker, including additional measures during stress exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The relationship between duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and executive function (EF) in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) is controversial. We aim to assess the influence of DUP on changes in EF over a 2-year period in subjects with early-onset FEP (first psychotic symptom before age 18) and less than 6 months of positive symptoms. Methods A total of 66 subjects were included in the study (19 females [28.8%], mean age 16.2 ± 1.6 years). The influence of DUP on changes in EF over the 2-year follow-up (expressed as a composite score of 5 cognitive abilities: attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, and problem solving) was estimated using a multivariate linear regression model after removing the effect of intelligence quotient and controlling for age, gender, diagnosis, premorbid adjustment, severity of positive and negative symptoms at baseline, global functioning at baseline, and mean daily antipsychotic dosage during follow-up. Results Mean DUP was 65.0 ± 6.9 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 51.2, 78.8). Median DUP was 47.5 days (range 2–180 days). Negative symptoms at baseline was the only variable significantly associated with EF at baseline (10.9% of explained variance [e.v. 10.9%], p = 0.007). Only shorter DUP (e.v. 8.7%, p = 0.013) and greater severity of baseline negative symptoms (e.v. 10.0%, p = 0.008) were significantly associated with greater improvement in EF. Conclusions In early-onset FEP, shorter DUP was associated with greater improvement in EF over a 2-year follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]