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Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using Poly(I:C) to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring
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Childhood IQ, hearing loss, and maternal thyroid autoimmunity in the Baltimore Collaborative Perinatal Project

Ellen E Wasserman1, Joseph P Pillion, Anne Duggan

  • 1Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Pediatric Research
|August 25, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Maternal thyroid antibodies (TPOaAbs) may temporarily affect child IQ, with effects diminishing by age 7. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children is linked to lower IQ scores.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal health
  • Neurodevelopmental research
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Maternal thyroid autoantibodies are linked to neurodevelopmental delays in children.
  • Thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies (TPOaAbs) are studied for their potential impact on offspring cognition.
  • Early childhood cognitive deficits may be influenced by prenatal maternal thyroid status.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between maternal TPOaAbs in late pregnancy and offspring IQ scores.
  • To investigate the influence of TPOaAb-associated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) on cognitive outcomes.
  • To determine if maternal TPOaAbs have a lasting effect on childhood intelligence.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized banked sera from 1,733 mothers in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (1959-1974).
  • Analyzed third-trimester maternal sera for TPOaAbs.
  • Correlated TPOaAb levels with childhood IQ scores and audiology data at ages 4 and 7.

Main Results:

  • A modest, significant association between maternal TPOaAbs and cognitive performance at age 4.
  • The effect of TPOaAbs on IQ diminished in magnitude and statistical significance by age 7.
  • Children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) exhibited lower IQ scores at both ages.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal TPOaAbs may be associated with transient developmental delays rather than permanent cognitive deficits.
  • The direct association between TPOaAbs and IQ might be partially explained by unexamined TPOaAb-associated SNHL.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between TPOaAb-associated SNHL and neurodevelopmental pathways affecting IQ.
Abstract

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