Explicit memory performance in infants of diabetic mothers at 1 year of age

Abstract

The aim of the present research was to investigate the impact of abnormal fetal environment on explicit memory performance. Based on animal models, it was hypothesized that infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) experience perturbations in memory performance due to exposure to multiple neurologic risk factors including: chronic hypoxia, hyperglycemia/reactive hypoglycemia, and iron deficiency. Memory performance, as measured by the elicited/deferred imitation paradigm, was compared between 13 IDMs (seven females, six males; mean age 365 days, SD 11) and 16 typically developing children (seven females, nine males; mean age 379 days, SD 9). The IDM group was characterized by shorter gestational age (mean 38w, SD 2), greater standardized birthweight scores (mean 3797g, SD 947), and lower iron stores (mean ferritin concentration 87C microg/L, SD 68) in comparison with the control group (mean gestational age: 40w, SD 1; mean birthweight: 3639g, SD 348; mean newborn ferritin concentration 140 microg/L, SD 46). After statistically controlling for both gestational age and global cognitive abilities, IDMs demonstrated a deficit in the ability to recall multi-step event sequences after a delay was imposed. These findings highlight the importance of the prenatal environment on subsequent mnemonic behavior and suggest a connection between metabolic abnormalities during the prenatal period, development of memory, circuitry, and behavioral mnemonic performance.

Diabetes in Pregnancy and Childhood Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review

“…However, 2 studies 35,36 were further excluded because they were published with the same populations used in 2 included studies. 18,20 In addition, 5 relatively different studies 22,32,[37][38][39] were conducted by using the same cohort study with varied sample sizes. All reported global cognitive development as a secondary outcome or confounder at the age of 1 year 32, 37-39 and 4 years.…”

Accounting for change in declarative memory: A cognitive neuroscience perspective

“…Patients with "developmental amnesia", who incurred hippocampal damage early in life, also exhibit impairments on the deferred imitation task, although their impairment is restricted to the recall of the temporal order of actions (Adlam, Vargha-Khadem, Mishkin, & de Haan, 2005). Infants who are at risk for damage to the medial temporal lobe memory system because of adverse fetal environments, also exhibit impairments in recalling the temporal order of imitation sequences (DeBoer, Wewerka, Bauer, Georgieff, & Nelson, 2005).…”

Maternal Metabolic Conditions and Risk for Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

“…11,12 Dionne et al 13 reported significant expressive language impairments in young children born to mothers with gestational diabetes (GDM) compared with children of women without diabetes. Moreover, 2 small studies 14,15 demonstrated mild deficits in recognition memory performance in infants of mothers with diabetes, suggesting aberrations in hippocampal function. Abnormalities within the limbic system have also been documented in children with ASD, and language deficits are among the core features of this disorder.…”