Nutrients for Cognitive Development in School-aged Children

Bryan, Janet; Osendarp, Saskia; Hughes, Donna; Calvaresi, Eva; Baghurst, Katrine; Klinken, Jan-Willem van

doi:10.1301/nr.2004.aug.295-306

Cited by 42 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…1,2 Part of the reason for this lack of information is undoubtedly that the most widespread pesticide exposures occur in developing countries, where epidemiological studies may be difficult to carry out and where malnutrition and other potential confounders may compromise the results. On the other hand, extensive evidence has been gathered on the neurobehavioral consequences of malnutrition and stunting, [4][5][6]19,54 but these studies have not included pesticide exposure as a relevant cofactor that could impact on child development.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticide Exposure and Stunting as Independent Predictors of Neurobehavioral Deficits in Ecuadorian School Children

Harari²,

et al. 2006

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OBJECTIVES. To examine possible effects on blood pressure, neurological function, and neurobehavioral tests in school-aged children with and without prenatal pesticide exposure in an area where stunting is common.METHODS. In a community of Northern Ecuador with intensive floriculture and a high female employment rate, we invited 79 children attending the 2 lowest grades of a public school for clinical examinations. In addition to a thorough physical examination, we administered simple reaction time, Santa Ana dexterity test, Stanford-Binet copying, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised Digit Spans forward. Maternal interview included detailed assessment of occupational history to determine pesticide exposure during pregnancy. Recent and current pesticide exposure was assessed by erythrocyte acetylcholine esterase activity and urinary excretion of organophosphate metabolites.RESULTS. All eligible children participated in the study, but 7 children were excluded from data analysis due to other disease or age Ͼ9 years. A total of 31 of the remaining 72 children were classified as stunted based on their height for age. Maternal occupational history revealed that 37 children had been exposed to pesticides during development. After confounder adjustment, prenatal pesticide exposure was associated with a higher systolic blood pressure than in the controls. On neurological examination, 14 exposed children and 9 controls showed Ն1 abnormalities. Of 5 neurobehavioral tests, the Stanford-Binet copying test showed a lower drawing score for copying designs in exposed children than in controls. Stunting was associated with a lower score on this test only, and both risk factors remained statistically significant in a multiple regression analysis with adjustment for demographic and social confounders. Increased excretion of dimethyl and diethyl metabolites of organophosphates was associated with increased reaction time and no other outcomes.CONCLUSION. Prenatal pesticide exposure may cause lasting neurotoxic damage and add to the adverse effects of malnutrition in developing countries. The effects differ from those due to acute pesticide exposure. T HE DEVELOPING BRAIN is particularly susceptible to adverse effects of environmental toxicants and nutritional deficiencies. 1 During fetal development, the placenta offers some protection against unwanted compounds, but it is not an effective barrier against environmental neurotoxicants. 2 Furthermore, the blood-brain barrier, which protects the adult brain from many toxic agents, is not completely formed until ϳ6 months after birth 3 and, therefore, provides no protection during sensitive developmental stages. At the same time, the brain depends on appropriate supplies of essential nutrients, and malnutrition, as apparent from stunted growth, may result in delayed neurobehavioral development. [4][5][6][7][8][9] The vulnerability of the brain originates from the combination of immaturity and ongoing development. 10 For optimal brain development to occur, a numb...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticide Exposure and Stunting as Independent Predictors of Neurobehavioral Deficits in Ecuadorian School Children

Harari²,

et al. 2006

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“…Studies have shown that the maturation of specific brain areas during childhood is associated with development of specific cognitive functions such as language, reading, and memory (Nagy et al, 2004;Deutsch et al, 2005;Giedd et al, 2010). The development of the frontal lobes, which are believed to control higher cognitive functions (including planning, sequencing and self-regulation), appears to occur in growth spurts during the first 2 years of life, and then again between 7 and 9 years of age and also around 15 years of age (Thatcher, 1991;Bryan et al, 2004). The development of some subcortical structures including the basal ganglia, amygdala, and hippocampus (which are also centrally involved in some mediating higher cognitive functions, including memory, executive functions, and emotion) also continues until late adolescence.…”

Section: Brain Development In Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overall, the research evidence suggests that cognitive development is strongly connected with micro and macro-anatomical changes which take place throughout childhood (Levitt, 2003;Herlenius and Lagercrantz, 2004;Ghosh et al, 2010). Individual brain development follows a genetic program which is influenced by environmental factors including nutrition (Bryan et al, 2004;Toga et al, 2006;Giedd et al, 2010). Environmental influences may modify gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, whereby gene function is altered through the processes of DNA methylation, histone modification and the modulating effect of non-coding RNAs, without the alteration of the gene sequence per se.…”

Section: Brain Development In Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Nutrition in Children's Neurocognitive Development, From Pregnancy Through Childhood

Nyaradi¹,

Li²,

Hickling³

et al. 2015

Prenatal and Childhood Nutrition

129

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This review examines the current evidence for a possible connection between nutritional intake (including micronutrients and whole diet) and neurocognitive development in childhood. Earlier studies which have investigated the association between nutrition and cognitive development have focused on individual micronutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, folic acid, choline, iron, iodine, and zinc, and single aspects of diet. The research evidence from observational studies suggests that micronutrients may play an important role in the cognitive development of children. However, the results of intervention trials utilizing single micronutrients are inconclusive. More generally, there is evidence that malnutrition can impair cognitive development, whilst breastfeeding appears to be beneficial for cognition. Eating breakfast is also beneficial for cognition. In contrast, there is currently inconclusive evidence regarding the association between obesity and cognition. Since individuals consume combinations of foods, more recently researchers have become interested in the cognitive impact of diet as a composite measure. Only a few studies to date have investigated the associations between dietary patterns and cognitive development. In future research, more well designed intervention trials are needed, with special consideration given to the interactive effects of nutrients.

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“…This index ranges from 0 to 20, where 0 represents the lowest and 20 the highest socioeconomic status code. The socioeconomic status variable was used either as a continuous variable or as a discrete one (by three categories: 0-10, 11-14, and [15][16][17][18][19][20].…”

Section: Study Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Postnatal exposure of normal infants to a damaging environment, including nutritional deficiencies especially during the first year of life, may have long-lasting effects similar to those observed following intrauterine exposure (12,(17)(18)(19). Indeed, such long-term developmental consequences have been associated with deficiencies in several vitamins in childhood, including vitamin B 12 (20). It is not clear whether mild or subclinical B 1 deficiency in infancy, which theoretically could cause slight Articles Ornoy et al…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Lack of severe long-term outcomes of acute, subclinical B1 deficiency in 216 children in Israel exposed in early infancy

et al. 2012

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Background: a vitamin B 1 -deficient soy-based infant formula was marketed in Israel in 2003, exposing infants to clinical or subclinical B 1 deficiency. We investigated whether subclinical B 1 deficiency in early infancy had medical, neurodevelopmental, or cognitive effects at 3-5 y of age. Methods: a historical prospective cohort study was conducted consisting of four groups: "exposed, " consuming a B 1 -deficient soy-based formula exclusively for four consecutive weeks or longer; "control, " consuming no soy-based formula; "mixed, " consuming the formula nonexclusively or exclusively for less than four consecutive weeks; and "other, " consuming soy-based formulas other than Remedia. Participants were evaluated by medical examination, stanford-Binet (sB) intelligence test, sensory profile evaluation, and conners scales (attention deficit disorder/attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (aDD/aDhD)). results: Following adjustment for gender, age, and maternal education, there were no significant differences among the four groups on the mean sB scores, on the verbal and nonverbal scores, or in the proportion of children in each group with scores <90. a significantly higher proportion of exposed children as compared with control children had an impaired sensory profile and scores on the conners scales (aDD/aDhD), but these proportions were also high in the "other" and "mixed" groups. conclusion: The results do not support an association between subclinical B 1 deficiency in infancy and long-term development.

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Nutrients for Cognitive Development in School-aged Children

Cited by 42 publications

References 81 publications

Pesticide Exposure and Stunting as Independent Predictors of Neurobehavioral Deficits in Ecuadorian School Children

Pesticide Exposure and Stunting as Independent Predictors of Neurobehavioral Deficits in Ecuadorian School Children

The Role of Nutrition in Children's Neurocognitive Development, From Pregnancy Through Childhood

Lack of severe long-term outcomes of acute, subclinical B1 deficiency in 216 children in Israel exposed in early infancy

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