The cognitive dissonance

Abstract

The first 1000 days of life (the period between conception and the second birthday) is a window of opportunity for brain development, a unique period when the foundations for optimal growth and development of the nervous system are laid throughout the entire life. Previously it was believed that the main factor that negatively affects the psychomotor development of a child is maternal hypothyroidism in the early stages of pregnancy. However, numerous experimental and epidemiological studies have shown that the development of the nervous system of the fetus is disrupted when a woman has isolated hypothyroxinemia in early pregnancy. The cause of neuropsychiatric disorders in this case is the inadequate availability of maternal thyroxin for the developing brain. Universal salt iodization and fortification of flour with folic acid and iron is a reliable means of preventing micronutrient deficiency in the first 1000 days of life. It is important that this prevention begins before conception and lasts until the end of the neurogenesis period. However, in practice, effective mass methods of prevention are ignored in favor of certain “individual” approaches, the possibilities of which are severely limited.