The genetic variance for cortical thickness in adolescents in prefrontal regions overlapped with previous findings in adults. However, the unique environmental effects observed in multimodal

parietal association cortices with converging inputs from visual, auditory, somatosensory regions, and neighboring secondary association cortices suggest that these regional variations are more shaped by experience and could form targets for early interventions in youth with behavioral disorders. NeuroReport 23:702-706 (C) 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.”
“Language serves as a cornerstone for human cognition, yet much about its evolution remains puzzling. Recent research on this question parallels Darwin’s attempt to explain both the unity of all species and their diversity. What has emerged from this research is that the unified nature of human language arises from a shared, species-specific computational ability. This ability has identifiable find more correlates in the brain and has www.selleckchem.com/products/MDV3100.html remained fixed since the origin of language approximately 100 thousand years ago. Although songbirds share with humans a vocal imitation learning

ability, with a similar underlying neural organization, language is uniquely human.”
“Objective: To prospectively examine the association of major depression with incidence of the metabolic syndrome in women. Methods: Data were drawn from one of seven sites of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a prospective cohort study of the menopausal transition. Participants were 429 (34.5% African-American) women. Major depression and comorbid diagnoses were assessed via the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition Axis I Disorders at baseline and

seven annual follow-up evaluations. The metabolic syndrome was measured at baseline and each follow-up evaluation (except the second) based on National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria. Results: Longitudinal generalized estimating equations (GEE) models indicated that, in women who were free of the metabolic syndrome at baseline, a lifetime major depression history or current major depressive episode at baseline Progesterone was significantly associated with the onset and presence of the metabolic syndrome during the follow-up (odds ratio=1.82; 95% Confidence Interval (CI)=1.06-3.14). Survival analyses showed that, in women who were free of the metabolic syndrome at baseline, a lifetime major depression history or current major depressive episode at baseline predicted increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome during the follow-up (hazard ratio=1.66; 95% CI=0.99-3.75). Lifetime history of alcohol abuse or dependence predicted incident metabolic syndrome and attenuated the association between depression and the metabolic syndrome in both models. Conclusions: This study documents that major depression is a significant predictor of the onset of the metabolic syndrome.