Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2025
10:10
Quantifying Cognitive Decrements Caused by Cranial Radiotherapy
Published on: October 18, 2011
12.8K
Iodine Intake and Related Cognitive Function Impairments in Elementary Schoolchildren
Helga B Bailote1, Diana Linhares2, Célia Carvalho3,4
1Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal.
Biology
|October 27, 2022
Summary
Moderate iodine deficiency significantly impairs cognitive function in schoolchildren. Children with iodine deficiency showed a 15-point lower Full-Scale IQ, impacting educational performance.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Neuroscience
- Child Development
Background:
- Iodine deficiency is a leading cause of preventable intellectual disability globally.
- Previous research suggests a link between iodine deficiency and reduced intellectual function.
- Limited studies have assessed cognitive function in iodine-deficient schoolchildren using comprehensive intelligence scales.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of moderate iodine deficiency on the cognitive function of schoolchildren aged 7-11.
- To compare cognitive abilities between moderately iodine-deficient children and those with adequate iodine intake.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 256 schoolchildren (3rd and 4th grades).
- Initial intelligence quotient (IQ) assessment using Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM).
- Detailed cognitive assessment using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) in selected iodine-deficient and adequate-intake subgroups.
Main Results:
- The moderately iodine-deficient subgroup (n=30) exhibited a Full-Scale IQ 15.13 points lower than the adequate iodine intake subgroup (n=30).
- A significant effect size (d = 0.7, p = 0.013) was observed, indicating a substantial impact.
- Significant differences were found in 6 out of 13 WISC-III subtests, affecting both Verbal and Performance IQ.
Conclusions:
- Moderate iodine deficiency substantially impairs cognitive development and functioning in schoolchildren.
- Iodine deficiency adversely affects both verbal and performance intelligence, negatively impacting educational outcomes.
- The WISC-III is a valuable tool for assessing cognitive deficits in iodine-deficient schoolchildren.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
394
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...
394
01:30Information Processing Approach
103
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...
103
01:23Redox Titration: Iodimetry and Iodometry
2.4K
Iodometry and iodimetry are analytical methods used to determine the concentration of oxidizing or reducing agents using iodine. In iodometric titrations, the oxidizing analyte solution is usually acidified and treated with an excess of iodide ions, which generates an equivalent amount of iodine in equilibrium with triiodide. The released iodine is subsequently titrated directly against a standardized reducing agent. As the dilute iodine color becomes pale yellow, a few drops of freshly...
2.4K
01:29Intellectual Disability
137
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...
137
01:30Biological Influences on Intelligence
184
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...
184
01:27Language and Cognition
412
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
412