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Prenatal selenium status, neonatal cerebellum measures and child neurodevelopment at the age of 18 months
Ivona Močenić1, Ivana Kolić2, Jelena Radić Nišević3
1Department of Pediatrics, General Hospital Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100, Pula, Croatia.
Insights
Maternal selenium levels during pregnancy correlate with neonatal cerebellum development and later cognitive abilities in children. Cerebellum measurements may serve as a biomarker for prenatal selenium status.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element crucial for fetal development and neurological function.
- Understanding the impact of maternal selenium status on neonatal brain development is vital for optimizing child health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal and cord blood selenium levels and neonatal cerebellum dimensions.
- To explore the relationship between prenatal selenium exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months of age.
- To determine if neonatal cerebellum measures can serve as biomarkers for selenium homeostasis during pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 205 mother-child pairs.
- Analysis of maternal and cord blood selenium levels using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.
- Cranial ultrasonography to measure neonatal cerebellum length and width in 49 newborns.
- Neurodevelopmental assessment using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) in 154 children at 18 months.
Main Results:
- Maternal blood selenium levels showed a negative correlation with cerebellum length in female neonates (r=-0.372; p=0.008).
- Cord blood selenium levels positively correlated with cerebellum width in female neonates (r=0.613; p=0.007).
- Maternal blood selenium levels were weakly positively correlated with cognitive abilities at 18 months (r=0.176; p=0.029).
Conclusions:
- Prenatal selenium exposure is associated with neonatal cerebellum development, as indicated by ultrasonography measurements.
- Neonatal cerebellum dimensions may function as potential biomarkers for assessing prenatal selenium status and its impact on micronutrient homeostasis.
- This study highlights the importance of adequate maternal selenium intake for optimal fetal brain development and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of maternal blood selenium (Se) levels and cord blood Se levels with neonatal cerebellum measures and child neurodevelopment at the age of 18 months. Moreover, to investigate whether the neonatal cerebellum measures could be used as a potential biomarker for selenium homeostasis during pregnancy.
Study Group And Methods:
The study population consisted of 205 mother-child pairs from Croatian Mother and Child Cohort. Maternal blood and cord blood were obtained at delivery and selenium level was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Cranial ultrasonography examination was performed on 49 newborns - cerebellum length and width have been measured. Neurodevelopmental assessment of cognitive, language and motor skills were conducted on 154 children, using The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III), at the age of 18 months.
Results:
The mean levels of selenium in maternal blood and cord blood were 92.6 ng/g and 97.0 ng/g, respectively. Maternal blood selenium levels were moderately and negatively correlated (r = -0.372; p = 0.008) with cerebellum length, while cord blood selenium levels were positively correlated with cerebellum width (r = 0.613; p = 0.007) among female children group. Maternal blood selenium levels were weakly and positively correlated (r = 0.176; p = 0.029) with child's cognitive abilities.
Conclusion:
To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first one investigating the association between neonatal brain measures and selenium levels in mother-child pairs. Our results indicate that prenatal selenium intake correlated with cerebellum length and width measured by cranial ultrasonography. Hence, cerebellum may be used as a potential biomarker and a target "organ" for early detection of possible adverse effects of prenatal status to various micronutrients.
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