Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
03:19

Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

824

Association between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and offspring cognitive function during childhood and

Sargoor R Veena1, Ghattu V Krishnaveni1, Krishnamachari Srinivasan2

  • 1Epidemiology Research Unit, CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, Mysore, South India.

Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|April 22, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy did not impact offspring cognitive development in Indian children. This study found no link between maternal vitamin D levels and cognitive abilities in childhood or adolescence.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health Nutrition

Background:

  • Maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is linked to adverse offspring cognitive outcomes in animal models.
  • Human studies investigating the association between maternal vitamin D status and offspring cognition are limited, particularly in diverse populations.
  • A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (68%) was observed in pregnant women in the study cohort.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and offspring cognitive function in Indian children.
  • To test the hypothesis that lower maternal vitamin D levels are linked to poorer cognitive abilities in offspring.
  • To contribute evidence to the understanding of vitamin D's role in neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

  • Cognitive function was assessed in 468 children (9-10 years) and 472 adolescents (13-14 years) using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children and other cognitive tests.
  • Maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were measured during mid-pregnancy (30±2 weeks gestation).
  • Statistical analyses adjusted for numerous potential confounding factors including child's age and sex, socioeconomic status, and maternal intelligence.

Main Results:

  • Maternal vitamin D status, both deficient and across the full range, showed no association with offspring cognitive function at either childhood or adolescent assessment points.
  • No significant differences were found between maternal vitamin D levels and any cognitive test outcomes in children.
  • Girls demonstrated superior performance in specific cognitive domains (short-term memory, reasoning, verbal fluency, attention) compared to boys.

Conclusions:

  • Despite a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy in this Indian population, no association was found with offspring cognitive function.
  • The findings suggest that maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy may not be a critical determinant of cognitive development in this context.
  • Further research may be needed to explore other factors influencing cognitive outcomes in populations with high rates of vitamin D deficiency.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development05:44

Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development

Published on: May 17, 2024

1.2K
Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic PolyI:C07:13

Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic PolyI:C

Published on: March 25, 2016

19.8K

Related Concept Videos

Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
1.0K
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin...
8.4K
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
671
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
616
Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

Vitamins, derived from the Latin word for life, are essential organic substances required in small quantities for optimal growth and overall well-being. Unlike other organic nutrients, vitamins don't act as sources of energy or building materials but rather facilitate these nutrients' utilization by the body. Vitamins are predominantly coenzymes, assisting enzymes in specific chemical actions, like the oxidation of glucose for energy involving B vitamins. Most vitamins are not produced...
2.7K
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health01:25

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
5.8K