Gestational hypothyroxinemia and cognitive function in offspring

Abstract

The effects of gestational hypothyroxinemia on the neurointellectual prognosis of children in the first year of life living in an industrial city (megalopolis) with mild iodine deficiency were studied in 13 children of mothers with thyroid hormone-corrected gestational hypothyroxinemia in the first trimester and 10 children of mothers with normal levels of free thyroxine by assessing cognitive functions at ages six, nine, and 12 months using the Gnome mental development scale. The results showed that maternal free thyroxine levels at the early stages (5-9 weeks) of pregnancy correlated significantly with the coefficients of mental development among the children at ages 6, 9, and 12 months, i.e., represented one of the factors defining the neuropsychological development of offspring. Early (not later than nine weeks) correction of gestational hypothyroxinemia with levothyroxine at a mean daily dose of at lest 1.2 microg/kg improved the neurointellectual prognosis of the offspring, increasing the coefficient of mental development of children to 92-97 points during the first year of life, i.e., to the level of development of mental functions of children born to mothers with normal thyroxine levels.

No Association between Elevated Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone at Birth and Parent-Reported Problem Behavior at Preschool Age

“…Subclinical impairment of cognitive and psychomotor development secondary to maternal hypothyroxineamia were found in studies investigating the first half of pregnancy (35–38). In several studies, no adverse outcomes were observed when hypothyroxineamia was studied from midpregnancy (39, 40). However, some studies did not find neurodevelopmental problems in children of mothers with hypothyroxinemia (41) or low urinary iodine excretion measured in the first trimester of pregnancy (42).…”

Kcne2 deletion uncovers its crucial role in thyroid hormone biosynthesis

“…In addition, thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes37–39. Subclinical human maternal hypothyroxinemia causes severe neurodevelopmental disorders40, may include changes in blood lipid profile, myocardial function, and neuropsychiatric function41–43, and is an independent risk factor in heart failure due to structural and electrical remodeling in the heart24.…”

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

“…The tests that were reviewed in these studies included the WISC, Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, Bayley Scale of Infant Development, McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities and the Gnome Mental Development Scale (Haddow et al, 1999;Pop, 2001;Pop et al, 2003;Vermiglio et al, 2004;Riano Galan et al, 2005;Kasatkina et al, 2006;Kooistra et al, 2006). By contrast, one study did not find any relationship between maternal T4 levels and cognitive development in children at 6 months (visual recognition memory) and 3 years of age (PPVT and Wide Range of Visual Motor Ability).…”