Publications by authors named "C A McMorris"
Purpose: Autistic youth are at heightened risk of mental health issues and face several barriers to accessing appropriate supports. A lack of available services is a common barrier that many autistic youth experience, with only 43% of autistic youth from the US who needed mental health services receiving them. Little is known about the availability of these mental health services in Canada, despite the high prevalence of mental health issues in autistic youth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParticipant recruitment for studies investigating neurodevelopmental conditions can be difficult, limited, and resource intensive. In this study, caregivers were surveyed to learn about the factors influencing their decision to enroll their neurodivergent child in research. Data were collected through an online survey from caregivers of neurodivergent children who were signing up for a research recruitment database (n = 46).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a major cause of birth defects and cognitive issues, particularly affecting brain development and executive functions in children aged 3-8 years.
- The study used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to analyze brain metabolites in children with PAE compared to unexposed children, revealing elevated levels of total choline (tCho) and glutamate + glutamine (Glx) in certain brain regions.
- The findings suggest that altered brain metabolism in children with PAE is linked to their cognitive performance, with higher tCho associated with better executive function, while elevated Glx correlates with poorer inhibitory control specifically in the PAE group.
Article Synopsis
- Children exposed to alcohol before birth (PAE) may face neurological and behavioral challenges, particularly with reading and language skills.
- Researchers studied brain scans and pre-reading abilities in 135 children aged 3-7, including 53 with PAE, using diffusion MRI and assessments like NEPSY-II.
- Findings revealed that children with PAE scored lower on reading tests and showed different brain network properties compared to those not exposed, indicating brain changes linked to their reading difficulties.
Background: Administration of chemotherapy during pregnancy is often delayed, while preterm delivery is common. If in utero exposure to chemotherapy is associated with adverse pediatric outcomes, it is unknown whether that relationship is directly attributable to the chemotherapy or is mediated by preterm birth.
Methods: Cases were identified from Canadian cancer registries and administrative data in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, 2003-2017, with follow-up until 2018.