ESPE Abstracts

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental condition in school-aged children, with a prevalence of 5–8%. In individuals with ADHD, there is an attenuated biologic stress response to challenging situations.Objective: This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an 8-week stress management program, comprising self-applied cognitive exercises, on stress perception and anxiety symptoms, sleep...

Introduction: Body composition analysis is a painless, bloodless and highly informative method of assessing health indicators that can be used extensively in the pediatric population. This is particularly important granted that the prevalence of childhood obesity has been increasing at a fast pace worldwide. Increased adiposity in children and adolescents is an important issue for children’s growth and psychologic development. Assessing the psychosocial status of children...

Introduction: Increased adiposity has been associated with smoldering systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome manifestations, leading to further morbidity by increasing the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in adults. Similar analyses have not been performed systematically in children and adolescents.Hypothesis: This study investigates the interrelations between body composition parameters and indices of inflammation and m...

Background: The exposure to environmental toxicants has been estimated to contribute directly to 3% of human neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs). Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), which are widespread persistent organic pollutants, have been implicated mainly because of their endocrine disruptive nature. Several studies have reported the above relations between maternal serum, the placenta barrier and the breast milk levels of OCPs and NDDs.Aim: The a...

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder worldwide. Evidence suggests dysfunction of the fronto-subcortical pathways and the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems, as well as dysregulation of the stress system, i.e., the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS).Objective and hypotheses: The aim of the study was to examine i) the diurn...

Background: In recent years, studies have consistently demonstrated higher TSH concentrations in overweight/obese children and adults compared with normal weight individuals, whereas the levels of thyroid hormones in peripheral blood remain within normal range. This euthyroid hyperthyrotropinemia on the background of a worldwide increase in childhood obesity raises the question of whether subjects with this elevated TSH should be treated.Objective and hy...

Introduction: Maternal perinatal mental disorders (PMDs) are associated with developmental and behavioral problems in the offspring, probably mediated by the programming of the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) axis. Increased or decreased cortisol concentrations during pregnancy and the perinatal period have been associated with alterations in the stress responses of the offspring and with child behavioral problems; however, such associations remain unclear.<p ...

Background: The ability to respond to stress constitutes a defensive protective mechanism; both inadequate and excessive responses may be detrimental.Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the effect of increased body weight on the hormonal response to stress in children. Scheduled surgical procedures include two stressful parts, a psychological one (anticipation of operation) and a biological one (surgical stress per se) and were chosen as a study mod...

Background: Obesity has been associated with perturbations of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Scalp hair cortisol has been recognized as a reliable index of long-term cortisol concentrations.Objective and hypotheses: Aim of this study was to compare indices of HPA axis and SNS activities, such as, respectively, the salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase diurnal patterns, and their relations i...

Background: Chronic stress and increased adiposity have been associated with each other in children. Further studies are needed, however, to evaluate both the directionality of this association and the mediating metabolic mechanisms.Objective and hypotheses: This study investigates the interrelations between BMI, body composition parameters, indices of the stress response, such as hair and salivary cortisol levels, and, metabolic mediators, such as insul...