Lauri Sillanmäki

What is the early adulthood outcome of boys who bully or are bullied in childhood? The Finnish "From a Boy to a Man" study.

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to study predictive associations between bullying and victimization at age 8 years and psychiatric disorders in early adulthood. METHODS. The sample comprised 2540 boys born in 1981. Information about bullying and victimization was gathered in 1989 when the boys were 8 years old from parents, teachers, and children. Information about psychiatric disorders was based on military call-up examination and army registry when the subjects were 18 to 23 years old. RESULTS. In univariate logistic regression analysis, frequent bullying-only status predicted antisocial personality, substance abuse, and depressive and anxiety disorders; frequent victimization-only status predicted anxiety disorder, whereas frequent bully-victim status predicted antisocial personality and anxiety disorder. When controlled against the effects of parental education level and parent and teacher reports of emotional and behavioral symptoms by using Rutter scales, frequent victimization-only status predicted anxiety disorders, and frequent bullying-only predicted antisocial personality disorder, whereas frequent bully-victimization predicted both anxiety and antisocial personality disorder. Information about frequent bullying and victimization as primary screening for children at risk identified ∼28% of those with a psychiatric disorder 10 to 15 years later. CONCLUSIONS. Both bullying and victimization during early school years are public health signs that identify boys who are at risk of suffering psychiatric disorders in early adulthood. The school health and educational system has a central role to play in detecting these boys at risk.

Effects of 902 MHz electromagnetic field emitted by cellular telephones on response times in humans.

The present study examined possible influences of a 902 MHz electromagnetic field emitted by cellular telephones on cognitive functioning in 48 healthy humans. A battery of 12 reaction time tasks was performed twice by each participant in a counterbalanced order: once with and once without the exposure to the field. The results showed that the exposure to the electromagnetic field speeded up response times in simple reaction time and vigilance tasks and that the cognitive time needed in a mental arithmetics task was decreased. The results suggest that exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by cellular telephones may have a facilitatory effect on brain functioning, especially in tasks requiring attention and manipulation of information in working memory.

Effects of electromagnetic field emitted by cellular phones on the EEG during a memory task.

The effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by cellular phones on the ERD/ERS of the 4–6 Hz, 6–8 Hz, 8–10 Hz and 10–12 Hz EEG frequency bands were studied in 16 normal subjects performing an auditory memory task. All subjects performed the memory task both with and without exposure to a digital 902 MHz EMF in counterbalanced order. The exposure to EMF significantly increased EEG power in the 8–10 Hz frequency band only. Nonetheless, the presence of EMF altered the ERD/ERS responses in all studied frequency bands as a function of time and memory task (encoding vs retrieval). Our results suggest that the exposure to EMF does not alter the resting EEG per se but modifies the brain responses significantly during a memory task.

FTO genotype is associated with body mass index after the age of seven years but not with energy intake or leisure-time physical activity.

CONTEXT A common variant in the FTO gene, rs9939609, associates with body mass index (BMI) in adults and in children aged 7 yr or older. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to examine the associations of the FTO genotype with BMI, cardiovascular risk factors, energy intake, and leisure-time physical activity in children followed up since infancy. METHODS Healthy participants of the STRIP Study, genotyped for rs9939609, were followed from age 7 months (n = 640) to 15 yr (n = 438). The children were randomly assigned to lifestyle intervention and control groups. Height, weight, blood pressure, and serum lipids were measured annually. Food records and physical activity index were obtained at age 15 yr. RESULTS The FTO genotype did not associate with BMI in children younger than 7 yr of age. From age 7 yr onward, the children homozygous for the A allele had progressively higher BMI than the children with one or two T alleles (P = 0.029 for FTO by age interaction). Furthermore, in longitudinal, BMI Z-score-adjusted analysis, the AA genotype associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure and with elevated serum total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P = 0.01, P < 0.001, P = 0.05, and P = 0.04 for main effect, respectively). The FTO genotype did not associate with energy intake or physical activity index at age 15. The FTO *Study group interactions were not significant. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the effect of the FTO genotype on BMI becomes evident only after age 7 yr. These results further suggest that the FTO gene is not directly associated with energy intake or physical activity.

Childhood Bullying Behavior and Later Psychiatric Hospital and Psychopharmacologic Treatment Findings From the Finnish 1981 Birth Cohort Study

CONTEXT No prospective population-based study examining predictive associations between childhood bullying behavior and long-term mental health outcomes in both males and females exists. OBJECTIVE To study predictive associations between bullying and victimization in childhood and later psychiatric hospital and psychopharmacologic treatment. DESIGN Nationwide birth cohort study from age 8 to 24 years. PARTICIPANTS Five thousand thirty-eight Finnish children born in 1981 with complete information about bullying and victimization at age 8 years from parents, teachers, and self-reports. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES National register-based lifetime information about psychiatric hospital treatments and psychopharmacologic medication prescriptions. RESULTS When controlled for psychopathology score, frequent victim status at age 8 years among females independently predicted psychiatric hospital treatment and use of antipsychotic, antidepressant, and anxiolytic drugs. Among males, frequent bully-victim and bully-only statuses predicted use of antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs. Frequent bully-victim status among males also predicted psychiatric hospital treatment and use of antipsychotics. However, when the analysis was controlled with total psychopathology score at age 8 years, frequent bully, victim, or bully-victim status did not predict any psychiatric outcomes among males. CONCLUSIONS Boys and girls who display frequent bullying behavior should be evaluated for possible psychiatric problems, as bullying behaviors in concert with psychiatric symptoms are early markers of risk of psychiatric outcome. Among females, frequent childhood victimization predicts later psychiatric problems irrespective of psychiatric problems at baseline.

Childhood Predictors of Completed and Severe Suicide Attempts: Findings From the Finnish 1981 Birth Cohort Study

CONTEXT To our knowledge, no prospective, population-based study in existence examines predictive associations between early or middle childhood psychopathologic disorders and later completed suicides. OBJECTIVE To study predictive associations between childhood psychopathologic disorders at the age of 8 years and later completed suicides and severe suicide attempts. DESIGN Birth cohort study of individuals 8 to 24 years old. SETTING Finland. PARTICIPANTS The sample includes 5302 Finnish people born in 1981 who were examined at the age of 8 years to gather information about psychopathologic conditions, school performance, and family demographics from parents, teachers, and children. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES National register-based lifetime information about completed suicides and suicide attempts that prompted hospital admission. RESULTS Of all 24 deaths among males between 8 and 24 years of age, 13 were suicides, whereas of 16 deaths among females, only 2 were suicides. Fifty-four males and females (1%) had either completed suicide or made a serious suicide attempt, defined as a suicide attempt that prompted hospital admission. Of 27 males with completed or serious suicide attempts, 78% screened positive on parent or teacher Rutter scales at the age of 8 years, whereas of 27 females only 11% screened positive. Among males, completed or serious suicide attempt outcome was predicted at the age of 8 years by living in a nonintact family; psychological problems as reported by the primary teacher; or conduct, hyperkinetic, and emotional problems. However, self-reports of depressive symptoms at the age of 8 years did not predict suicide outcome. No predictive associations between the study variables measured at the age of 8 years and suicide outcome were found among females. Male suicide outcome was predicted most strongly by comorbid conduct and internalizing problems. CONCLUSIONS Most males who completed suicide and/or made serious suicide attempts in adolescence or early adulthood had psychiatric problems by the age of 8 years, indicating a trajectory that persists throughout their lives. However, female severe suicidality is not predicted by psychopathologic disorders at the age of 8 years. The results give additional support to the importance of early detection and treatment of psychiatric problems in males.

Development of overweight in an atherosclerosis prevention trial starting in early childhood. The STRIP study

Context:Recent data indicate a marked increase in the prevalence of obesity among school-aged children. Thus, efficacious programmes that prevent overweight development in children are urgently needed.Objective:To evaluate the impact of repeatedly given, individualised dietary and lifestyle counselling on the prevalence of overweight during the first 10 years of life.Design and participants:This study was a part of the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children (STRIP), which is a prospective, randomised trial aimed at reducing the exposure of the intervention children to the known risk factors of atherosclerosis. At the childs age of 7 months, 1062 children were assigned to an intervention group (n=540) or to a control group (n=522). The intervention children received individualised counselling focused on healthy diet and physical activity biannually. Height and weight of the children were measured at least once a year.Main outcome measure:Prevalence of overweight and obesity among the intervention and control children by sex and age. Children were classified as overweight or obese if their weight for height was >20% or ⩾40% above the mean weight for height of healthy Finnish children, respectively.Results:After the age of 2 years, there were continuously fewer overweight girls in the intervention group than in the control group. At the age of 10 years, 10.2% of the intervention girls and 18.8% of the control girls were overweight (P=0.0439), whereas 11.6% of the intervention boys and 12.1% of the control boys were overweight (P≈1.00). Only three children in the intervention group were obese at some age point, whereas 14 control children were classified as obese at some age point.Conclusion:Individualised dietary and lifestyle counselling given twice a year since infancy decreases prevalence of overweight in school-aged girls even without any primary energy restrictions.

Childhood adversities as a predictor of disability retirement

Background: There is a large body of research on adulthood risk factors for retirement due to disability, but studies on the effect of adverse childhood experiences are scarce. Aim: To examine whether adverse childhood experiences predict disability retirement. Methods: Data were derived from the Health and Social Support Study. The information was gathered from postal surveys in 1998 (baseline) and in 2003 (follow-up questionnaire). The analysed data consisted of 8817 non-retired respondents aged 40–54 years (5149 women, 3668 men). Negative childhood experiences, such as financial difficulties, serious conflicts and alcohol-related problems, were assessed at baseline and disability retirement at follow-up. Results: The risk of disability retirement increased in a dose–response manner with increasing number of childhood adversities. Respondents who had experienced multiple childhood adversities had a 3.46-fold increased risk (95% CI 2.09 to 5.71) of disability retirement compared with those who reported no such adversities. Low socioeconomic status, depression (Beck Depression Inventory-21), use of drugs for somatic diseases as well as health-related risk behaviour, such as smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and obesity, were also predictors of disability retirement. After simultaneous adjustments for all these risk factors, the association between childhood adversities and the risk of disability retirement attenuated, but remained significant (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.37). Conclusions: Information on childhood conditions may increase our understanding of the determinants of early retirement, especially due to mental disorders. Childhood adversities should be taken into account when considering determinants of disability retirement and identifying groups at risk.

Relative electroencephalographic desynchronization and synchronization in humans to emotional film content: an analysis of the 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12 Hz frequency bands

The reactivity of different narrow electroencephalographic (EEG) frequencies (4-6, 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12 Hz) to three types of emotionally laden film clips (aggressive, sad, neutral) were examined. We observed that different EEG frequency bands responded differently to the three types of film content. In the 4-6 Hz frequency band, the viewing of aggressive film content elicited greater relative synchronization as compared the responses elicited by the viewing of sad and neutral film content. The 6-8 Hz and 8-10 Hz frequency bands exhibited reactivity to the chronological succession of film viewing whereas the responses of the 10-12 Hz frequency band evolved within minutes during film viewing. Our results propose dissociations between the responses of different frequencies within the EEG to different emotion-related stimuli. Narrow frequency band EEG analysis offers an adequate tool for studying cortical activation patterns during emotion-related information processing.

Childhood bullying behaviors at age eight and substance use at age 18 among males. A nationwide prospective study

Childhood bullying behaviors (bullying and victimization) were studied as risk factors for substance use among Finnish males. The study design was a nationwide prospective general population study, where information was collected in 1989 and 1999. Bullying behaviors and childhood psychopathology at age eight were collected from teachers, parents and boys themselves. At age 18, self-reports of frequent drunkenness (once a week or more often), daily heavy smoking (10 cigarettes or more per day), and illicit drug use during the past six months were obtained from 78% of the boys attending the study at age eight (n=2946). Being frequently victimized at age eight predicted daily heavy smoking, and this was evident even after adjusting for childhood family background, psychopathology at age eight and at age 18, and other forms of substance use. In multivariate analysis, bullying others frequently predicted illicit drug use, while being a victim of bullying associated with a lower occurrence of illicit drug use. Bullying behaviors had no association with frequent drunkenness independent of other factors. Accordingly, being a victim of bullying predisposes in particular to subsequent smoking. Bullying others in childhood can be regarded as an early indicator to illicit drug use later in life. The screening and intervention possibilities in order to recognize the risk group for later health compromising behaviors are emphasized.