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Objective: To examine the relationship between demographics, other tobacco use, and JUUL dependency on combustible cigarette use among college JUUL users. Participants: Undergraduates (n = 595) at a large southwestern university who used JUUL weekly completed a cross-sectional online survey in March 2019. Methods: Logistic regressions examined associations between covariates and ever use/past 30-day use of cigarettes. Results: As age increased, odds of ever trying a cigarette increased (AOR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.45-2.41); however, as age of JUUL initiation increased, odds of ever (AOR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.65-0.99) or past 30-day (AOR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.63-0.97) cigarette use decreased. Those moderately (AOR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.07-3.82) or highly (AOR = 8.01; 95% CI = 3.08-20.83) dependent on JUUL were more likely to have tried cigarettes than those not dependent. However, dependence was not associated with past 30-day use. Conclusions: JUUL users may not transition to combustible cigarettes during college. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine transitions in JUUL users' tobacco product use after college.

Introduction: The primary aim of this retrospective study was to assess differential associations between sleep disturbances with externalizing/internalizing problems, ADHD profiles (inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity), and social impairment among children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and comorbid diagnoses (ASD+ADHD). Methods: Caregivers of patients with ADHD (N = 28), ASD (N = 29), and ASD+ADHD (N = 57) completed the Child Behavior Checklist, Conners 3rd Edition, and Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire to assess externalizing/internalizing problems, social functioning, ADHD presentations, and sleep disturbances. Results: Findings indicated that among the ASD+ADHD group, select sleep factors contributed to 17% of the variance in externalizing problems, 16% in hyperactivity/impulsivity, and 15% in inattention problems, despite controlling for intellectual functioning and stimulant use; whereas no associations were observed among ASD or ADHD groups. Conclusions: In brief, sleep may impact behavioral and attention dysregulation more intimately among those with ASD+ADHD, underscoring the need to incorporate sleep screening measures in diagnostic evaluations and in treatment considerations for behavioral dysregulation.

This study aimed to examine the neuropsychological correlates of child patients diagnosed with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or comorbid ASD + ADHD through a multidisciplinary ASD evaluation clinic. Patients completed standardized tests of intellectual, attention, social-affective/cognitive, and executive functioning; and a semi-structured assessment commonly used for autism diagnosis. The majority of patients were medicated for ADHD concerns during testing. Parents and teachers also completed inventories of day-to-day social and attentional functioning. Group effects were found across objective social measures but not across related respondent-ratings. In contrast, group differences were observed in parent-ratings of attention difficulties, but not on standardized tests of attention or executive functioning. Findings underscore importance of integrating objective and functional measures when assessing ASD and/or ADHD.

This study aimed to examine the neuropsychological correlates of child patients diagnosed with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or comorbid ASD + ADHD through a multidisciplinary ASD evaluation clinic. Patients completed standardized tests of intellectual, attention, social-affective/cognitive, and executive functioning; and a semi-structured assessment commonly used for autism diagnosis. The majority of patients were medicated for ADHD concerns during testing. Parents and teachers also completed inventories of day-to-day social and attentional functioning. Group effects were found across objective social measures but not across related respondent-ratings. In contrast, group differences were observed in parent-ratings of attention difficulties, but not on standardized tests of attention or executive functioning. Findings underscore importance of integrating objective and functional measures when assessing ASD and/or ADHD., Author(s): Rowena Ng [sup.1] , Kimberley Heinrich [sup.1] , Elise K. Hodges [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0000 9081 2336, grid.412590.b, Neuropsychology Section, Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, , 2101 [...]

Objective: The Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC) Epilepsy Surgery Database Project is a multisite collaborative that includes neuropsychological evaluations of children presenting for epilepsy surgery. There is some evidence for specific neuropsychological phenotypes within epilepsy (Hermann et al, 2016); however, this is less clear in pediatric patients. As a first step, we applied an empirically-based subtyping approach to determine if there were specific profiles using indices from the Wechsler scales [Verbal IQ (VIQ), Nonverbal IQ (NVIQ), Processing Speed Index (PSI), Working Memory Index (WMI)]. We hypothesized that there would be at least four profiles that are distinguished by slow processing speed and poor working memory as well as profiles with significant differences between verbal and nonverbal reasoning abilities. Participants and Methods: Our study included 372 children (M=12.1 years SD=4.1; 77.4% White; 48% male) who completed an age-appropriate Wechsler measure, enough to render at least two index scores. Epilepsy characteristics included 84.4% with focal epilepsy (evenly distributed between left and right focus) and 13.5% with generalized or mixed seizure types; mean age of onset = 6.7 years, SD = 4.5; seizure frequency ranged from daily to less than monthly; 53% had structural etiology; 71% had an abnormal MRI; and mean number of antiseizure medications was two. Latent profile analysis was used to identify discrete underlying cognitive profiles based on intellectual functioning. Demographic and epilepsy characteristics were compared among profiles. Results: Based on class enumeration procedures, a 3-cluster solution provided the best fit for the data, with profiles characterized by generally Average, Low Average, or Below Average functioning. 32.8% were in the Average profile with mean index scores ranging from 91.7-103.2; 47.6% were in the Low Average profile with mean index ranging from 80.7 to 84.5; and 19.6% were in the Below Average profile with mean index scores ranging from 55.0-63.1. Across all profiles, the lowest mean score was the PSI, followed by WMI. VIQ and NVIQ represented relatively higher scores for all three profiles. Mean discrepancy between indices within a profile was as large as 11.5 IQ points. No demographics or epilepsy characteristics were significantly different across cognitive phenotypes. Conclusions: Latent cognitive phenotypes in a pediatric presurgical cohort were differentiated by general level of functioning; however, across profiles, processing speed was consistently the lowest index followed by working memory. These findings across phenotypes suggest a common relative weakness which may result from a global effect of antiseizure medications and/or the widespread impact of seizures on neural networks even in a largely focal epilepsy cohort; similar to adult studies with temporal lobe epilepsy (Hermann et al, 2007). Future work will use latent profile analysis to examine phenotypes across other domains relevant to pediatric epilepsy including attention, naming, motor, and memory functioning. These findings are in line with collaborative efforts towards cognitive phenotyping which is the aim of our PERC Epilepsy Surgery Database Project that has already established one of the largest pediatric epilepsy surgery cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Improve data‐driven research to inform clinical decision‐making with pediatric epilepsy surgery patients by expanding the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium Epilepsy Surgery (PERC‐Surgery) Workgroup to include neuropsychological data. This article reports on the process and initial success of this effort and characterizes the cognitive functioning of the largest multi‐site pediatric epilepsy surgery cohort in the United States. Methods: Pediatric neuropsychologists from 18 institutions completed surveys regarding neuropsychological practice and the impact of involvement in the collaborative. Neuropsychological data were entered through an online database. Descriptive analyses examined the survey responses and cognitive functioning of the cohort. Statistical analyses examined which patients were evaluated and if composite scores differed by domain, demographics, measures used, or epilepsy characteristics. Results: Positive impact of participation was evident by attendance, survey responses, and the neuropsychological data entry of 534 presurgical epilepsy patients. This cohort, ages 6 months to 21 years, were majority White and non‐Hispanic, and more likely to have private insurance. Mean intelligence quotient (IQ) scores were below to low average, with weaknesses in working memory and processing speed. Full‐scale IQ (FSIQ) was lowest for patients with younger age at seizure onset, daily seizures, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities. Significance: We established a collaborative network and fundamental infrastructure to address questions outlined by the Epilepsy Research Benchmarks. There is a wide range in the age and IQ of patients considered for pediatric epilepsy surgery, yet it appears that social determinants of health impact access to care. Consistent with other national cohorts, this US cohort has a downward shift in IQ associated with seizure severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the relationship between demographics, other tobacco use, and JUUL dependency on combustible cigarette use among college JUUL users. Participants: Undergraduates (n = 595) at a large southwestern university who used JUUL weekly completed a cross-sectional online survey in March 2019. Methods: Logistic regressions examined associations between covariates and ever use/past 30-day use of cigarettes. Results: As age increased, odds of ever trying a cigarette increased (AOR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.45–2.41); however, as age of JUUL initiation increased, odds of ever (AOR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.65–0.99) or past 30-day (AOR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.63–0.97) cigarette use decreased. Those moderately (AOR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.07–3.82) or highly (AOR = 8.01; 95% CI = 3.08–20.83) dependent on JUUL were more likely to have tried cigarettes than those not dependent. However, dependence was not associated with past 30-day use. Conclusions: JUUL users may not transition to combustible cigarettes during college. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine transitions in JUUL users' tobacco product use after college. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess associations between objective-/caregiver-report measures of attention functioning and social impairment among children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and co-occurring ASD + ADHD. Method: Patients with ADHD (N = 27), ASD (N = 23), and ASD + ADHD (N = 44) completed measures of intellectual functioning (Wechsler tests) and attention functioning (Continuous Performance Test-Second Edition [CPT-II]) as part of a neurocognitive assessment. Caregivers completed the Conners Third Edition to assess day-to-day inattentiveness, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) to assess social functioning. Results: Among patients with ADHD, attention measures contributed to 48% of the variance in total SRS scores, with caregiver-reported hyperactivity/impulsivity as the strongest factor. In contrast, among those with ASD + ADHD, attention measures accounted for 40% of the variance, largely due to inattention problems. No associations between domains were observed among patients with ASD. Conclusion: Differential ADHD symptoms are associated with social impairment among children with ADHD versus ASD + ADHD; whereas, no associations were observed among those with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]