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Biomedical subjects

E T Aronen

Publications and source records attributed to E T Aronen.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Working memory, psychiatric symptoms, and academic performance at school.

Previous studies of the relationship among working memory function, academic performance, and behavior in children have focused mainly on clinical populations. In the present study, the associations of the performance in audio- and visuospatial working memory tasks to teacher reported academic achievement and psychiatric symptoms were evaluated in a sample of fifty-five 6-13-year-old school children. Working memory function was measured by visual and auditory n-back tasks. Information on incorrect responses, reaction times, and multiple and missed responses were collected during the tasks. The children's academic performance and behavioral and emotional status were evaluated by the Teacher Report Form. The results showed that good spatial working memory performance was associated with academic success at school. Children with low working memory performance, especially audiospatial memory, were reported to have more academic and attentional/behavioral difficulties at school than children with good working memory performance. An increased number of multiple and missed responses in the auditory and visual tasks was associated with teacher reported attentional/behavioral problems and in visual tasks with teacher reported anxiety/depressive symptoms. The results suggest that working memory deficits may underlie some learning difficulties and behavioral problems related to impulsivity, difficulties in concentration, and hyperactivity. On the other hand, it is possible that anxiety/depressive symptoms affect working memory function, as well as the ability to concentrate, leading to a lower level of academic performance at school.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Psychiatric symptoms of children and adolescents with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in childhood and adolescence. The clinical picture includes diverse and complex psychiatric symptoms that are difficult to treat. Only symptomatic treatment is available. To improve symptomatic therapy, it is important to recognize the symptoms. The purpose of this study was to identify predominant psychiatric symptoms in patients with JNCL. METHODS: The study included 27 patients with JNCL with and without psychotropic treatment. The mean age was 15.2 (range 9-21) years. Characteristic psychiatric symptoms in this patient group were clarified by using the following standardized questionnaires filled in by parents, teachers and the patients themselves: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher Report Form (TRF) and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). The symptoms were recorded for the entire study group and compared between patients with and without psychotropic treatment and between genders. RESULTS: The patients had a large number of psychiatric symptoms according to the CBCL and TRF. The most commonly reported symptoms were social, thought, attention problems, somatic complaints and aggressive behaviour. Patients receiving psychotropic medication had more psychiatric symptoms according to the CBCL and TRF. Moreover, female patients had more problems than male patients according to the CBCL. The total psychiatric symptom score was at clinical or borderline range for psychiatric disturbance in 74% of patients. The number of depressive symptoms reported by the patients themselves was low. CONCLUSIONS: JNCL patients suffer from a multitude of psychiatric symptoms. To improve drug choice and dosage, a thorough evaluation of these symptoms by standardized methods is needed before initiating treatment. Progress and possible adverse effects of treatment should be monitored on a regular basis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Auditory event-related potential indices of increased distractibility in children with major depression.

OBJECTIVE: Children with major depression (MD) exhibit short-term memory and concentration deficits. Using auditory event-related potentials (ERPs), we aimed to determine whether these problems could be caused by a dysfunction in auditory sensory memory, attentional orienting, or both. METHODS: The subjects were 10 treatment-naïve children with MD and 10 controls. Sound sequences, consisting of frequent stimuli (syllable /ka/, P = 0.08), infrequent deviant stimuli (/ta/, P = 0.01 ), and novel sounds ( P = 0.01 ) were played through loudspeakers while the children watched silent videos and ignored the sound stimuli. Auditory sensory memory was studied by eliciting the ERPs mismatch negativity (MMN) and late discriminative negativity (LDN), and the P3a was used as an index of involuntary attention switch. RESULTS: The children with MD had shorter MMN and LDN latencies than the controls. The late component of the P3a (lP3a) was enhanced in amplitude in the patients as compared with that in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Auditory sensory memory appears to function normally in children with MD. However, the ERP findings indicated enhanced sensory sensitivity and attentional distractibility in these children. This increased distractibility might underlie the concentration difficulties that compromise school performance in children with MD.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed2002

Poor sleep and psychiatric symptoms at school: an epidemiological study.

The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between sleep problems and psychiatric symptoms at school. A random sample consisting of 5813 eight- to nine-year-old children was selected from ordinary schools. Both parents' and children's reports of sleep problems were taken into account. The psychiatric symptoms were addressed according to the teachers' reports (the Rutter Scale B). Children with severe sleep problems were more likely to have a psychiatric disturbance according to the Rutter B Scale (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.85-3.25). Logistic regression models showed that severe sleep problems were highly associated with emotional problems (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.84-4.13), school attendance problems (OR 2.53, 95% OR 1.45-4.41), behavioural problems (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.59-3.75) and hyperactivity (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.30-3.13). Over 95% of severe sleep problems were reported only by the children themselves. In conclusion, children with severe sleep problems have substantially more teacher-reported psychiatric symptoms than those with no or mild sleep complaints. In diagnosing sleep disorders, it is important to include children as informants because relevant information may be overlooked when only parents are questioned.

Child↗
PubMed2001

New antidepressive and antipsychotic drugs in juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses--a pilot study.

Patients with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) often have severe psychiatric symptoms. These are common in their mid-teens and include such symptoms as anxiety and affective and psychotic disorders. The older antidepressants and antipsychotics do not seem to be effective and often cause many adverse effects. Therefore, we wanted to try the new psychotropic drugs in Finnish patients with JNCL. We also wanted to determine the profile of these drugs in this patient group. Fourteen Finnish patients with JNCL receiving psychotropic drug treatment with citalopram, risperidone, olanzapine or quetiapine, were included. The mean age at initiation of the new psychotropic drugs was 13.8 years. Indications for treatment were psychotic symptoms, affective symptoms, anxiety and an inadequate response to other psychotropic drugs, or even adverse reactions. Information on psychiatric symptoms and current treatment was gathered from interviews and from the medical records. Indications and the clinical outcome of the treatment were determined by a consensus of the assessments by parents and physicians. The psychotropic drugs most commonly used in Finnish patients with JNCL are citalopram and risperidone. The clinical outcome was good or satisfactory in 70%. The adverse effects most commonly reported were fatigue, weight gain and aggravation of extrapyramidal symptoms. Little research has been done in this area and there are no good guidelines for treatment of psychiatric symptoms in patients with JNCL. Therefore, every patient should be treated with the safest and most commonly used drugs in the lowest possible doses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Associations of age and gender with activity and sleep.

Associations between age/gender and activity/sleep (measured by actigraphs) in 66 healthy children aged 5-12 y were studied. With increasing age, daytime motor activity and total sleep time decreased and activity pattern changed. No gender differences were found. It was concluded that in this age group there is an age-dependent change in the amount and pattern of motor activity and sleep due to developmental and/or environmental factors.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2000

Effects of early intervention on psychiatric symptoms of young adults in low-risk and high-risk families.

Effects of early risk and intervention on the psychiatric symptoms of young adults were studied. By means of a weighted risk index, 160 families with a baby born in 1975-1976 were classified as being at low or high risk. Half of the families attended a five-year family counseling program, the other half served as a control group. At age 20-21 years, the young adults from the counseled families had significantly fewer psychiatric symptoms than did those from the control families. A significant interaction between family risk and counseling was found. Implications for preventive intervention efforts are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Sleep problems of school-aged children: a complementary view.

The aim of this population-based multicentre study was to evaluate the prevalence rates of sleep problems among 8-9-y-old children. The sample consisted of 5813 Finnish children, making up 10% of the age cohort. Both parents and children provided information. Disturbed sleep was reported by 21.7% of parents. Most of the problems were mild; only 0.3% were serious. Dyssomnias were frequent: 11.1% had difficulties with sleep onset, 7.1% with night waking and 2.3% with waking too early. Multiple sleep problems were present in 9.1% of the children. 17.8% of children reported disturbed sleep, 12.7% had problems many nights and 5.1% every night. In 32.0% of cases, either the parent or the child reported disturbed sleep; 7.4% of these reports came from both the parent and the child, 14.1% from the parent only and 10.3% from the child only. The correspondence between informants was poor (kappa = 0.224). Sleeping problems were associated with somatic and psychiatric problems. It is concluded that by restricting questioning to parents only, one-third of all potential cases of sleep problems may go unnoticed. In order to increase the sensitivity of screening children's sleep problems, both parents and children should provide information in epidemiological settings as well as in clinical work.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed2000

Sleep and psychiatric symptoms in school-age children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess associations between the quantity and quality of children's sleep and parent- and teacher-reported psychiatric symptoms. METHOD: Forty-nine physically healthy 7- to 12-year-old children from normal classes participated. They were monitored for 72 consecutive hours with belt-worn activity monitors (actigraphs) to obtain objective data on their daytime and nighttime activity and sleep. In addition, Child Behavior Checklists and Teacher's Report Forms were filled out by the parents and teachers, respectively. RESULTS: Quantity of sleep was significantly associated with total symptom score on the Teacher's Report Form. The highest associations were found between low true sleep time and teacher-reported externalizing symptoms such as aggressive and delinquent behavior and attention and social problems. Sleep parameters were not associated with parent-reported psychiatric symptoms, except for the association found between delayed sleep latency and aggressive, delinquent behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The objectively measured amount of school-age children's sleep was associated with teacher-reported psychiatric symptoms. Parents may be unaware of their child's sleep deficiencies as the behavioral problems may be more evident at school than at home. Sensitive and objective measurements are needed to rule out the possibility of inadequate sleep underlying behavioral problems.

Attention↗
PubMed2000

Childhood depressive symptoms predict psychiatric problems in young adults.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of childhood depressive symptoms for psychiatric symptoms, adaptive functioning, and self-performance in young adults. METHOD: The study sample consisted of 111 young adults born during 1975-1976 in the Helsinki region. The young adults were assessed in childhood (10 to 11 years of age) using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and at the age of 20 to 21 years using Achenbach's Young Adult Self Report (YASR), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Wallston Self-Performance Survey. RESULTS: Self-reported depressive symptoms in childhood predicted psychiatric symptoms (especially aggression), poor adaptive functioning, and low self-esteem in young adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms in children should be addressed to prevent later psychiatric problems. The CDI may be a measure of nonspecific psychopathology rather than of pure depression--thus, it may be a good screening tool for child populations.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Effects of infant temperament and early intervention on the psychiatric symptoms of adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of infant temperament traits and early home-based intervention on psychiatric symptoms in adolescence. METHOD: The sample comprised 100 children born in 1975-1976. The families of 54 children received family counseling during the first 5 years of the child's life (10 times/year); 46 children served as a control group for counseling. At age 6 months the infants' temperament traits were evaluated by the Carey Infant Temperament Questionnaire filled out by the mother. At age 14 to 15 years the psychiatric symptoms of the adolescents were assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist and the Youth Self-Report. RESULTS: A fussy/demanding temperament in infancy was found to predict psychiatric symptoms in adolescence. A family counseling program during infancy protected subjects from developing psychiatric symptoms in adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: It may be possible to improve the psychosocial prognosis of children at temperamental risk by home-based intervention focused on parent-child interaction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Motor activity and severity of depression in hospitalized prepubertal children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is an association between activity levels and the severity and nature of depressive symptoms. METHOD: Locomotor activity was quantified in 27 consecutively selected hospitalized prepubertal children. Activity was measured in 5-minute epochs over a period of 72 hours using belt-worn monitors. Depressive symptoms were rated using the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised, the Children's Depression Inventory, and an observer rating scale for nursing staff. RESULTS: Measures of reduced daytime activity correlated with scores on the Children's Depression Rating Scale and the observer rating scale, but not the Children's Depression Inventory. Stepwise regression indicated that the strongest association occurred between a composite measure of severity, age, and percentage of low-level diurnal activity periods (r = .724, p < .0005). Activity measures correlated with clinical ratings of sadness, low self-esteem, anhedonia, and physical complaints, and to a lesser degree with ratings of hypoactivity, fatigue, and slow speech. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced levels of activity correlated significantly with clinical ratings of depressive severity across diagnostic groups. The development of objective measures of depressive severity may have prognostic and therapeutic implications.

Child↗
PubMed1996

Long-term effects of an early home-based intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term effects of an early home-based intervention on the quantity and quality of psychiatric symptoms in adolescents. METHOD: The material consisted of 160 families with a baby born in 1975-1976. First, the families were classified with a weighted risk index into low- and high-risk families. Eighty families attended a 5-year-long family counseling program (10 times/year). The other half of the families served as a control group for the effects of counseling. The mental state of the adolescents was assessed at age 14 to 15 years by the Child Behavior Checklist and the Youth Self-Report. RESULTS: The adolescents in the counseling families scored significantly fewer total symptoms on both the parent and the youth reports. The counseling reduced more effectively internalizing than externalizing symptoms. The counseling predicted better mental health in adolescence in both low- and high-risk families. CONCLUSIONS: Home-based early intervention can have positive long-term effects on the mental state of adolescents. These results can be used when programs for primary prevention in families with small children are planned.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Structured diagnostic interviews and clinicians' discharge diagnoses in hospitalized adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: In this study Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-C) and clinicians' discharge diagnoses, as well as clinicians' admission and discharge diagnoses were compared. METHOD: Patients (N = 163) ages 12 to 16 were interviewed with the DISC-C during the first month of admission. The frequencies for different diagnoses by DISC-C and by clinicians at the time of admission and discharge were tabulated. Kappa coefficients were obtained from cross-tabulated frequencies of DISC and clinicians' discharge diagnoses. RESULTS: At discharge, the clinicians diagnosed more patients with multiple diagnoses and also diagnosed more patients with conduct and substance abuse disorders, dysthymia, and psychosis than they did at admission. The DISC-C diagnosed more patients with these disorders, except with psychosis, than did clinicians at either admission or discharge. The agreement between the clinicians' discharge and DISC-C diagnoses remained low across the diagnostic categories. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the view that the comprehensiveness and structure of the DISC-C can contribute to the sensitivity of the diagnostic process.

Adolescent↗