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Impact of Early Childhood Malnutrition on Adult Brain Function: An Evoked-Related Potentials Study
Kassandra Roger1, Phetsamone Vannasing1, Julie Tremblay1
1LION Lab, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Insights
Early childhood malnutrition impacts brain function into adulthood, showing higher errors and altered brain activity in a 55-year study. This highlights long-term effects on attention and executive functions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) affects over 200 million children globally.
- The Barbados Nutrition Study (BNS) is a 55-year longitudinal cohort study.
- Previous research indicated brain function differences in childhood between early PEM and control groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if brain function differences associated with early-life malnutrition persist into adulthood.
- To assess cognitive performance and brain activity in adults with a history of early-life PEM.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) and Evoked-Related Potentials (ERP) were recorded during a Go-No-Go task.
- A subsample (N=53) of the original BNS cohort, aged 45-51 years, participated.
- Participants included adults with histories of early-life PEM (n=24) and healthy controls (n=29).
Main Results:
- Adults with early PEM history exhibited a higher rate of omission errors on the Go-No-Go task.
- Significantly different ERPs were observed, specifically lower N2 amplitudes in the previously malnourished group.
- These neurophysiological differences are linked to impaired conflict monitoring and attention deficits.
Conclusions:
- Early-life protein-energy malnutrition can lead to persistent alterations in brain function into adulthood.
- Findings suggest long-term impacts on attentional and executive functions.
- The study reinforces the critical window of early development for brain health.
Abstract:
More than 200 million children under the age of 5 years are affected by malnutrition worldwide according to the World Health Organization. The Barbados Nutrition Study (BNS) is a 55-year longitudinal study on a Barbadian cohort with histories of moderate to severe protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) limited to the first year of life and a healthy comparison group. Using quantitative electroencephalography (EEG), differences in brain function during childhood (lower alpha1 activity and higher theta, alpha2 and beta activity) have previously been highlighted between participants who suffered from early PEM and controls. In order to determine whether similar differences persisted into adulthood, our current study used recordings obtained during a Go-No-Go task in a subsample of the original BNS cohort [population size (N) = 53] at ages 45-51 years. We found that previously malnourished adults [sample size (n) = 24] had a higher rate of omission errors on the task relative to controls (n = 29). Evoked-Related Potentials (ERP) were significantly different in participants with histories of early PEM, who presented with lower N2 amplitudes. These findings are typically associated with impaired conflict monitoring and/or attention deficits and may therefore be linked to the attentional and executive function deficits that have been previously reported in this cohort in childhood and again in middle adulthood.
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