Folate level during pregnancy and cognitive development of children

U novom istraživanju objavljenom u časopisu British Journal of Nutrition, Dutch scientists noted that low folate levels during pregnancy were associated with smaller brain volume and poorer language and visual-spatial abilities (such as spatial orientation) in children aged 6-8.

The research was conducted on a sample of 256 children whose mothers were monitored during the second condition as part of an extensive Dutch epidemiological study. The emotional and psychological development of the children was assessed with various tests and their intelligence was tested, and their brain volume was determined with magnetic resonance imaging.

Rezultati su pokazali da su children of mothers who had poor folate status during pregnancy had smaller brain volumes od djece čijim majkama status folata nije bio ugrožen. S druge strane, nije primijećena povezanost razina vitamina B12,  homocisteina i volumena mozga te problematičnog ponašanja. No, utvrđena je veza između visoke razine homocisteina (što je  najčešće posljedica nedostatka folata ili vitamina B12) i  niže inteligencije djece.

Autori su stoga zaključili kako istraživanje govori u korist recommendation on the use of folic acid supplements tijekom drugog stanja. Osim što je poznato da može izazvati i veće defekte, nedostatak ovog važnog vitamina B skupine očito može dovesti i do suptilnijih promjena tijekom razvoja mozga.

Literature:                                                                                                        

1. C.L. Ars et al. Prenatal folate, homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels and child brain volumes,cognitive development and psychological functioning: the Generation R Study. No. J Nutr. 2016; 22:1-9.