Neurodevelopment in Young Children With Sex Chromosome Trisomies Diagnosed Before Birth: A Cluster Analysis Study
Laura Zampini1, Alessandra Lorini1, Paola Zanchi2
1Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
Insights
Young children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) show varied neurodevelopmental patterns, with a notable language development gap. Identifying at-risk subgroups can guide early interventions for these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Genetics
- Pediatric psychology
Background:
- Sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) are associated with neurodevelopmental variations.
- Language development fragilities are noted in SCTs, but early childhood research is limited.
- The 12-24 month period is critical for neurodevelopmental assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize neurodevelopmental patterns in infants and toddlers with SCTs.
- To explore distinct neurodevelopmental profiles within this population.
- To inform early monitoring and intervention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Seventy children with SCTs (14-29 months) were assessed using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales.
- Cluster analysis was employed to identify distinct neurodevelopmental profiles.
- Statistical analysis compared performance across developmental domains.
Main Results:
- Two distinct neurodevelopmental profiles were identified, with equal distribution across SCT groups.
- Children in both identified clusters performed within normative ranges.
- A significant gap in linguistic development was observed in both clusters, irrespective of overall functioning level.
Conclusions:
- Young children with SCTs exhibit identifiable neurodevelopmental patterns, including a consistent linguistic delay.
- Early identification of subgroups with specific vulnerabilities, particularly in language, is crucial.
- Findings support the development of targeted early monitoring and therapeutic interventions for SCTs.
Abstract:
Many studies have investigated the neuropsychological profile of individuals with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) and have identified some fragilities in language development within a wide individual variability. However, only a few studies have focused on children in the second year of life (12-24 months), a crucial stage for neurodevelopment. The present study aimed to identify and describe neurodevelopmental patterns in young children with SCTs. Seventy children with SCTs, ranging in age from 14 to 29 months, were administered the Griffiths Mental Development Scales, and their different neurodevelopmental profiles were identified using cluster analysis. Two-step cluster analysis highlighted two profiles of children equally distributed between groups. The two clusters showed a similar pattern but different levels of functioning, with children in Cluster 1 showing a lower performance in all the areas considered than children in Cluster 2. However, in both clusters, all the mean scores were in the normative range, with a significant gap in the linguistic area. Identifying the subgroups of young children with SCTs at higher risk can contribute to developing early monitoring protocols and targeted therapy approaches.
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