Vitamin B12 and Folate Status in Pregnant Females and Their Infants in Norway: Secondary Analysis from the Mommy's Food Study.

Background: Vitamin B12 and folate are essential micronutrients important for normal infant growth and development.

Objectives: The aims were to describe vitamin B12 and folate status in pregnant females and their infants according to commonly used status cutoffs and examine the associations between maternal status, maternal supplement use, and breastfeeding and infant status.

Methods: Pregnant females were recruited at 18 wk gestation in Bergen, Norway.

Vitamin B status in infancy and the effect of a vitamin B injection in infants with subclinical vitamin B deficiency: study protocol for a register-based randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Vitamin B (cobalamin) is crucial for optimal child development and growth, yet deficiency is common worldwide. The aim of this study is twofold; (1) to describe vitamin B status and the status of other micronutrients in Norwegian infants, and (2) in a randomised controlled trial (RCT), investigate the effect of vitamin B supplementation on neurodevelopment in infants with subclinical vitamin B deficiency.

Methods And Analysis: Infant blood samples, collected at public healthcare clinics, are analysed for plasma cobalamin levels.

Children born to women in opioid maintenance treatment: A longitudinal study of child behavioral problems and parenting stress.

In the wake of the "opioid epidemic", there is considerable concern regarding potential harmful long-term effects of prenatal opioid exposure. Opioid misuse and addiction confer increased exposure to lifestyle stressors and health burdens. Accordingly, it is challenging to disentangle effects of prenatal opioid exposure from factors related to maternal stress.

Affective decision-making in children prenatally exposed to opioids.

Although opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) is currently recommended for pregnant opioid-dependent women, potential effects on children's long-term development are still largely unknown. The current study assessed the long-term cognitive development of children born to women in OMT. Particularly, children's decision-making performance was assessed with a child-friendly version of the Iowa Gambling Task.

Salivary cortisol levels relate to cognitive performance in children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine.

Opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) is generally recommended for pregnant opioid-dependent women. However, much is still unknown about the potential long-term effects of prenatal methadone and buprenorphine exposure. This study explored the long-term effects of prenatal methadone and buprenorphine exposure in a cohort (n = 41) of children, aged 9-11 years, using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) to measure cognitive development and salivary cortisol samples to measure HPA-axis activity.

ERP correlates of cognitive control in children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine.

Much is still unknown about the potential long-term effects of prenatal methadone and buprenorphine exposure. We examined neural correlates of cognitive control in 19 prenatally methadone and buprenorphine exposed and 21 nondrug exposed children, aged 9-11 years. Children performed a modified version of the Eriksen Flanker task, which taps into selective attention, conflict response, and response inhibition mechanisms.

The effects of a school-based physical activity intervention programme on children's executive control: The Health Oriented Pedagogical Project (HOPP).

Aims: To assess the effects of a large school-based physical activity intervention on children's ability to resist distractions and maintain focus, known as executive control.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design with seven intervention and two control primary schools. The Health Oriented Pedagogical Project (HOPP) intervention consisted of 45 min of physical activity a day during school time for 6-8 months in addition to the regular weekly physical education lessons.

Mother-child interaction and cognitive development in children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine.

Objective: To assess the influence of mother-child interaction on children's cognitive development in a group of children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine.

Study Design: The study is part of a prospective longitudinal project investigating the development of children born to women in opioid maintenance therapy (OMT). The sample includes 67 children born between 2005 and 2007, 35 of which prenatally exposed to either methadone or buprenorphine and 32 non-exposed comparison children.

Methodological Issues in Assessing the Impact of Prenatal Drug Exposure.

Prenatal drug exposure is a common public health concern that can result in perinatal complications, birth defects, and developmental disorders. The growing literature regarding the effects of prenatal exposure to specific drugs such as tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, and heroin is often conflicting and constantly changing. This review discusses several reasons why the effects of prenatal drug exposure are so difficult to determine, including variations in dose, timing, duration of exposure, polydrug use, unreliable measures of drug exposure, latent or "sleeper" effects, genetic factors, and socioenvironmental influences.

Visual selective attention is impaired in children prenatally exposed to opioid agonist medication.

Aims: To examine whether prenatal exposure to opioid agonist medication is associated with visual selective attention and general attention problems in early childhood.

Method: Twenty-two children (mean age = 52.17 months, SD = 1.

The developmental trajectory of pointing perception in the first year of life.

The present study investigated the development of the neural basis of pointing perception in 6-month- and 13-month-old infants. In a spatial-cueing paradigm, infants were presented with a peripheral target followed by a hand pointing toward (congruent condition) or away (incongruent condition) from the previously cued location. EEG responses to the presentation of the hand were measured.

Executive function in preschool children prenatally exposed to methadone or buprenorphine.

Although an increasing number of children are born with prenatal methadone or buprenorphine exposure, little is still known about the potential long-term effects of these opioids. The aim of this study was to investigate executive function (EF) in children of women in opioid maintenance therapy (OMT). A total of 66 children (aged 48-57 months) participated in the study, 35 of which had histories of prenatal methadone or buprenorphine exposure.

Deviant smooth pursuit in preschool children exposed prenatally to methadone or buprenorphine and tobacco affects integrative visuomotor capabilities.

Background And Aims: Although an increasing number of children are born to mothers in opioid maintenance therapy (OMT), little is known about the long-term effects of these opioids. Previous studies suggest an association between prenatal OMT exposure and difficulties in eye movement control. Also, the effects of tobacco smoking on eye movements have been reported.

Neurodevelopmental investigation of the mirror neurone system in children of women receiving opioid maintenance therapy during pregnancy.

Aims: Opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) is generally recommended for pregnant opioid-dependent women. Previous studies investigating the long-term effects of OMT on children's cognitive development found that children of women in OMT have an increased risk of developing deficits in motor and visual perceptual skills, which are important aspects of the mirror neurone system (MNS), a complex neural circuit involved in learning and social interactions. The aim of the current study was to investigate aspects of the MNS in children of women in OMT.

Prenatal exposure to methadone and buprenorphine: a review of the potential effects on cognitive development.

The amount of opioid users receiving opioid maintenance therapy has increased significantly over the last few years. As a result, an increasing number of children are prenatally exposed to long-lasting opioids such as methadone and buprenorphine. This article reviews the literature on the cognitive development of children born to mothers in opioid maintenance therapy.