Neurodevelopmental dimensional assessment of young children at high genomic risk of neuropsychiatric conditions

Chawner, Samuel J.R.A, Paine, Amy L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9025-3719, Dunn, Matt J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0295-2182, Walsh, Alice, Sloane, Poppy, Thomas, Megan, Evans, Alexandra ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7718-4413, Hopkin-Jones, Lucinda, Struik, Siske, Hall, Jeremy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2737-9009, Erichsen, Jonathan T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1545-9853, Leekam, Susan R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1122-0135, Owen, Michael J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4798-0862, Hay, Dale ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2505-0453 and van den Bree, Marianne B. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4426-3254 2023. Neurodevelopmental dimensional assessment of young children at high genomic risk of neuropsychiatric conditions. JCPP Advances 3 (2) , e12162. 10.1002/jcv2.12162

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Abstract

Background Individuals with 22q11.2 deletion are at considerably increased risk of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. There have been very few studies investigating how this risk manifests in early childhood and what factors may underlie developmental variability. Insights into this can elucidate transdiagnostic markers of risk that may underlie later development of neuropsychiatric outcomes. Methods Thirty two children with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) (mean age = 4.1 [SD = 1.2] years) and 12 sibling controls (mean age = 4.1 [SD = 1.5] years) underwent in-depth dimensional phenotyping across several developmental domains selected as being potential early indicators of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric liability. Comparisons were conducted of the dimensional developmental phenotype of 22q11.2DS and sibling controls. For autistic traits, both parents and children were phenotyped using the Social Responsiveness Scale. Results Young children with 22q11.2DS exhibited large impairments (Hedge's g ≥ 0.8) across a range of developmental domains relative to sibling controls, as well as high rates of transdiagnostic neurodevelopmental and psychiatric traits. Cluster analysis revealed a subgroup of children with 22q11.2DS (n = 16; 53%) in whom neurodevelopmental and psychiatric liability was particularly increased and who differed from other children with 22q11.2DS and non-carrier siblings. Exploratory analyses revealed that early motor and sleep impairments indexed liability for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric outcomes. Maternal autism trait scores were predictive of autism traits in children with 22q11.2DS (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.47, p = 0.046, n = 31). Conclusions Although psychiatric conditions typically emerge later in adolescence and adulthood in 22q11.2DS, our exploratory study was able to identify a range of early risk indicators. Furthermore, findings indicate the presence of a subgroup who appeared to have increased neurodevelopmental and psychiatric liability. Our findings highlight the scope for future studies of early risk mechanisms and early intervention within this high genetic risk patient group.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG) Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI) Optometry and Vision Sciences Psychology
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	2692-9384
Funders:	MRC, Wellcome Trust
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	20 April 2023
Date of Acceptance:	13 March 2023
Last Modified:	27 Feb 2024 12:41
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/158964

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