Brain Advance Access originally published online on November 25, 2003
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brain, Vol. 127, No. 2, 321-329, 2004
© 2004 Guarantors of Brain
doi: 10.1093/brain/awh034
Critical periods of brain growth and cognitive function in children
MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
Correspondence to: Dr C. Martyn, MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit (University of Southampton), Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK E-mail: cnm{at}mrc.soton.ac.uk
There is evidence that IQ tends to be higher in those who were heavier at birth or who grew taller in childhood and adolescence. Although these findings imply that growth in both foetal and postnatal life influences cognitive performance, little is known about the relative importance of brain growth during different periods of development. We investigated the relationship between brain growth in different periods of pre- and postnatal life and cognitive function in 221 9-year-old children whose mothers had taken part in a study of nutrition in pregnancy and whose head circumference had been measured at 18 weeks gestation, birth and 9 months of age. Cognitive function of the children and their mothers was assessed with the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. Full-scale IQ at age 9 years rose by 1.98 points [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34 to 3.62] for each SD increase in head circumference at 9 months and by 2.87 points (95% CI 1.05 to 4.69) for each SD increase in head circumference at 9 years of age, after adjustment for sex, number of older siblings, maternal IQ, age, education, social class, duration of breastfeeding and history of low mood in the post-partum period. Postnatal head growth was significantly greater in children whose mothers were educated to degree level or of higher socio-economic status. There was no relation between IQ and measurements of head size at 18 weeks gestation or at birth. These results suggest that brain growth during infancy and early childhood is more important than growth during foetal life in determining cognitive function.
Key Words: children; cognitive function; foetal growth; head circumference; postnatal growth
Abbreviations: SDS = standard deviation scores
Received June 30, 2003. Revised September 16, 2003. Accepted September 18, 2003.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  R. F. A. de Lind van Wijngaarden, E. P. C. Siemensma, D. A. M. Festen, B. J. Otten, E. G. A. H. van Mil, J. Rotteveel, R. J. H. Odink, G. C. B. Bindels-de Heus, M. van Leeuwen, D. A. J. P. Haring, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Long-Term Continuous Growth Hormone Treatment in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2009; 94(11): 4205 - 4215. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Raikkonen, T. Forsen, M. Henriksson, E. Kajantie, K. Heinonen, A.-K. Pesonen, J. T. Leskinen, I. Laaksonen, C. Osmond, D. J. P. Barker, et al. Growth Trajectories and Intellectual Abilities in Young Adulthood: The Helsinki Birth Cohort Study Am. J. Epidemiol., August 15, 2009; 170(4): 447 - 455. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. R Risnes, T. I L Nilsen, P. R Romundstad, and L. J Vatten Head size at birth and long-term mortality from coronary heart disease Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2009; 38(4): 955 - 962. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Z. X. Zhang, B. L. Plassman, Q. Xu, G.E.P. Zahner, B. Wu, M. Y. Gai, H. B. Wen, X. Chen, S. Gao, D. Hu, et al. Lifespan influences on mid- to late-life cognitive function in a Chinese birth cohort Neurology, July 21, 2009; 73(3): 186 - 194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. M. Piro and C. Ortiz The effect of piano lessons on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of primary grade students Psychology of Music, July 1, 2009; 37(3): 325 - 347. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. F. P. Broekman, Y.-H. Chan, Y.-S. Chong, S.-C. Quek, D. Fung, Y.-L. Low, Y.-P. Ooi, P. D. Gluckman, M. J. Meaney, T.-Y. Wong, et al. The Influence of Birth Size on Intelligence in Healthy Children Pediatrics, June 1, 2009; 123(6): e1011 - e1016. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. A. M. Rogers, B. L. Plassman, M. Kabeto, G. G. Fisher, J. J. McArdle, D. J. Llewellyn, G. G. Potter, and K. M. Langa Parental Education and Late-life Dementia in the United States J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol, March 1, 2009; 22(1): 71 - 80. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Scazufca, P. R Menezes, R. Araya, V. D Di Rienzo, O. P Almeida, D. Gunnell, and D. A Lawlor Risk factors across the life course and dementia in a Brazilian population: results from the Sao Paulo Ageing & Health Study (SPAH) Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2008; 37(4): 879 - 890. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. T. Flynn, K. E.C. Meyers, J. P. Neto, R. de Paula Meneses, A. Zurowska, A. Bagga, L. Mattheyse, V. Shi, J. Gupte, S. Solar-Yohay, et al. Efficacy and Safety of the Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Valsartan in Children With Hypertension Aged 1 to 5 Years Hypertension, August 1, 2008; 52(2): 222 - 228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. L. Y. Cheong, R. W. Hunt, P. J. Anderson, K. Howard, D. K. Thompson, H. X. Wang, M. J. Bear, T. E. Inder, and L. W. Doyle Head Growth in Preterm Infants: Correlation With Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Neurodevelopmental Outcome Pediatrics, June 1, 2008; 121(6): e1534 - e1540. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Heinonen, K. Raikkonen, A.-K. Pesonen, E. Kajantie, S. Andersson, J. G. Eriksson, A. Niemela, T. Vartia, J. Peltola, and A. Lano Prenatal and Postnatal Growth and Cognitive Abilities at 56 Months of Age: A Longitudinal Study of Infants Born at Term Pediatrics, May 1, 2008; 121(5): e1325 - e1333. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W. G. Pond, H. J. Mersmann, D. Su, J. J. McGlone, M. B. Wheeler, and E. O. Smith Neonatal Dietary Cholesterol and Alleles of Cholesterol 7-{alpha} Hydroxylase Affect Piglet Cerebrum Weight, Cholesterol Concentration, and Behavior J. Nutr., February 1, 2008; 138(2): 282 - 286. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. R. Gale, F. J. O'Callaghan, M. Bredow, C. N. Martyn, and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Childre The Influence of Head Growth in Fetal Life, Infancy, and Childhood on Intelligence at the Ages of 4 and 8 Years Pediatrics, October 1, 2006; 118(4): 1486 - 1492. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R W I Cooke Are there critical periods for brain growth in children born preterm? Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., January 1, 2006; 91(1): F17 - F20. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. S Pearce, I. J Deary, A. H Young, and L. Parker Growth in early life and childhood IQ at age 11 years: the Newcastle Thousand Families Study Int. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2005; 34(3): 673 - 677. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Gale Commentary: Height and intelligence Int. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2005; 34(3): 678 - 679. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|