Effects of early prenatal dexamethasone on the cognitive and behavioral development of young children: results of a pilot study

The effect of early prenatal dexamethasone (DEX) exposure on cognitive and behavioral development, behavior problems, and temperament were examined in 26 consecutively identified children aged 6 mo to 5 1/2 years, whose mothers had been DEX-treated during pregnancy because their offspring was at risk for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), and compared with 14 children from untreated CAH-risk pregnancies. Three children in each group were CAH-affected. Assessments were performed by way of mother-completed standard questionnaires. No significant differences in cognitive abilities or behavior problems were identified. On temperament questionnaires, DEX-exposed children showed more Shyness (p < .004), greater Emotionality (p < .03), less Sociability (p < .04), and a trend for greater Avoiddance (p < .07) than unexposed children. DEX-exposed children also had significantly higher Internalizing (p < .002) and Total Problem scores (p < .05) on the behavior problem measure for 2-3 year olds. The results should be considered preliminary until they have been replicated by the study of a larger sample and direct examination of the children.     

Prenatal estrogens and the development of homosexual orientation.

In psychobiological research on sexual orientation, the prenatal hormone theory has a central position. This article examines the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens contribute to the development of human sexual orientation. Several groups of women with a history of prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen, were compared with several samples of control women in the context of a comprehensive study of the psychiatric and psychologic effects of prenatal DES. Various aspects of sexual orientation were assessed by systematic interview. Consistently across samples, more DES-exposed women than controls were rated as bisexual or homosexual (scores 2–6 on Kinsey-format scales ranging from 0 to 6). The data are compatible with the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens may play a role in the development of human sexual orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential expression of apoptosis receptors on diffuse and intestinal type stomach carcinoma

1. A transient two fold increase in the cyclic GMP content was observed in rat freshly isolated glomeruli 6 to 9 h after a single subcutaneous injection of 20 mg kg-1 cyclosporine A (CsA) in conscious animals. 2.In vitro stimulation with endothelin 3 (ET-3) of isolated glomeruli obtained from CsA-untreated rats resulted in a dose-dependent increase in cyclic GMP content. The increase observed with 10 nM ET-3 was similar to that observed in glomeruli isolated 9 h after in vivo CsA administration. 3. The rise in glomerular cyclic GMP content after in vivo CsA injection was prevented by in vivo treatment with L-NAME (10 mg kg-1) or by in vitro calcium deprivation of the incubation medium. 4. The stimulating effects of CsA on glomerular cyclic GMP content were inhibited by in vivo administration of the ETB receptor antagonist BQ-788 (2 mg kg-1) but not by the ETA receptor antagonist BQ-123 (2 mg kg-1). 5. The maximum increase in glomerular cyclic GMP content induced in vitro by acetylcholine (100 microM) and by ET-3 (100 nM) was slightly lower (approximately by 20-25%; P < 0.05) in glomeruli from CsA-treated rats than in glomeruli from untreated rats. In contrast, the maximum increase achieved with 1 microM sodium nitroprusside was similar in both groups. 6. A single subcutaneous injection of CsA did not significantly alter the glomerular mRNA expression of constitutive endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), as evaluated by RT-PCR, whereas the mRNA expression of the inducible NO synthase (iNOS), which follows pretreatment with lipopolysaccharide, was prevented. 7. These results indicate that in vivo administration of a single dose of cyclosporine A transiently increases the cyclic GMP content of freshly isolated glomeruli, and that activation of ETB receptors and stimulation of the NO pathway are involved in this process. Furthermore, a single administration of CsA does not impair eNOS mRNA expression and only slightly reduces NO-dependent glomerular cyclic GMP production.     

Cognitive abilities and hemispheric lateralization in females following idiopathic precocious puberty.

Compared 12 right-handed adolescent females with a history of idiopathic precocious puberty (IPP) to 12 closely pair-matched normal controls of similar maturational status. All Ss were aged 13–20 yrs. Cognitive abilities were assessed by subtests of the WISC and Primary Mental Abilities Test, and by combination scales derived from these subtests. Brain hemispheric lateralization was measured by 2 dichotic listening tests. Results show that IPP Ss and controls did not differ in verbal abilities or in dichotic consonant–vowel discrimination. IPP was associated with lower spatial ability. It is concluded that pubertal maturation is associated with spatial but not verbal ability. Left-hemisphere functioning does not seem to constitute a mediating mechanism for this association but a slight weakness of right-hemisphere functioning is suggested by poor left-ear performance on the staggered spondaic word test. (47 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)