[Breastfeeding and cognitive development; interference evaluation by "5 digits test"]
Juan Manuel Pérez Ruiz1, M Concepción Iribar Ibabe2, José María Peinado Herreros3
1Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular. Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Granada. España.. mciribar@ugr.es.
Insights
Longer breastfeeding duration, particularly for at least six months, is linked to enhanced cognitive processing speed and attention abilities in school-aged children. This supports breastfeeding for improved cognitive development and potential prevention of attention deficits.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
Context:
- Growing prevalence of childhood attention deficits in Western societies.
- Limited research on the long-term cognitive benefits of early-life breastfeeding.
- Need for evidence-based recommendations for infant nutrition.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the long-term effects of breastfeeding duration on cognitive development.
- To investigate the role of breastfeeding in preventing attention deficit and hyperactivity.
- To analyze cognitive processing speed and attentional control in young children.
Summary:
- A study of 103 six-year-old children found a significant linear correlation between breastfeeding duration and cognitive performance.
- Children breastfed for six months demonstrated superior performance in reading and attention tasks compared to those breastfed for only one month.
- Results indicate faster cognitive processing and reduced interference in children breastfed for at least six months.
Impact:
- Provides evidence supporting breastfeeding for at least six months to foster cognitive development.
- Suggests breastfeeding may play a role in mitigating attention deficits and hyperactivity disorders.
- Highlights the need for further research to reinforce breastfeeding recommendations for at-risk children.
Background And Objective:
Different publications have analyzed the possible correlation between breastfeeding length and a better cognitive development during school age. The present study evaluates the possible long term beneficial effects of breastfeeding during the first months of life on the cognitive development, as well as its possible role on the attention deficit and hyperactivity prevention. Currently this evaluation is of special interest considering the increasing number in western societies of childhood attention deficits, with or without, hyper - activity disorders.
Material And Methods:
103 children, during the first year of elementary education, 6 years of age (47 boys and 56 girls), were recruited in different schools of the Granada province, including urban, semi-urban and rural areas. The speed of cognitive processing and the ability to focus attention and reorient after an incident of distraction, using the five digits test (5-DGT), - variant of the Stroop interference test- were analyzed.
Results:
Data show a linear correlation between longer breastfeeding and better scores in the test. Particularly significant (P ≤ 0.001) are the reading and alternation tests for children who were breastfed for 6 months when compared with those that only received this nutrition during their first month of life.
Conclusion:
This study validates the initial hypothesis, showing faster resolution speed and less interference in the group of children breastfed, at least during the first 6 months of life. Further well designed studies are necessary for reinforced breastfeeding recommendation, at least during the first 6 months of life, for children underclinical suspicion of possible ADHD development.
