Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
05:31

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels

Published on: August 7, 2017

11.0K

Association between childhood infection, serum inflammatory markers and intelligence: findings from a

N Mackinnon1, S Zammit2, G Lewis3

  • 1Department of Psychiatry,University of Cambridge,Cambridge,UK.

Epidemiology and Infection
|December 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Childhood infections did not directly impact later intelligence or inflammatory markers. However, higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a marker of inflammation, were linked to lower intelligence quotient (IQ).

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • A proposed link exists between infection, inflammation, neurodevelopment, and adult diseases.
  • Childhood is a critical period for immune and nervous system development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between childhood infection burden and subsequent systemic inflammatory markers.
  • To examine the relationship between childhood infection burden and general intelligence (IQ).
  • To explore the connection between inflammatory markers and IQ.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a prospective birth cohort.
  • Assessed childhood infection exposure between 1.5 and 7.5 years old.
  • Measured serum interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at age 9, and IQ at age 8.

Main Results:

  • High infection burden was associated with higher CRP levels, but this was explained by body mass index, maternal occupation, and atopic disorders.
  • Elevated CRP levels were significantly associated with lower IQ (adjusted β = -0.79).
  • No strong evidence indicated a direct association between childhood infection and subsequent IQ.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood infections do not appear to have an independent, lasting effect on later circulating inflammatory marker levels.
  • Elevated inflammatory markers in childhood may negatively impact intellectual development and function.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the complex interplay between infection, inflammation, and neurodevelopment.

Keywords:
Birth cohort studyC-reactive proteininfectioninflammatory markersintelligence quotientinterleukin 6

More Related Videos

Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using PolyI:C to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring09:09

Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using PolyI:C to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring

Published on: August 17, 2022

2.4K
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis08:46

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis

Published on: August 12, 2020

7.0K

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...
981
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...
605
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
13.9K
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
1.0K
Intellectual Disability01:29

Intellectual Disability

Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning that manifest during the developmental period. This condition encompasses challenges in reasoning, memory, problem-solving, and learning, accompanied by impairments in everyday life skills, such as communication, self-care, and social interactions. Intellectual disability affects approximately 1% of the population in the United States, impacting an estimated 5...
816