Exposure to Maternal Adversity during Gestation and Its Effect on Neurocognitive Function of the Offspring during Preadolescence

Authors

Shyfuddin Ahmed, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Public Health

First Advisor's Name

Gladys E Ibanez

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Miguel Ángel Cano

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Mariana Sanchez

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Nan Hu

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Fifth Advisor's Name

Raul Gonzalez

Fifth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

epidemiology, public health

Date of Defense

3-13-2023

Abstract

Pregnancy and perinatal periods are critical periods of human development. Various maternal adversities such as diabetes or hypertensive disorders during pregnancy can complicate both the birth outcomes and may have long-term effects on their offspring. Despite the known effect of these adversities on the cardio-metabolic system of their offspring, limited and inconsistent evidence exist about their effects on their children’s neurological systems including brain structures and associated neurocognitive functioning. Considering the critical role of the brain and associated neurocognitive functioning, this study evaluated the effect of maternal diabetes and hypertensive disorders during pregnancy on their offspring’s brain structure (cortical thickness) and five neurocognitive functions (executive function, working and episodic memory, processing speed, and language abilities) during preadolescence of 9 to 12 years of age. This study also evaluated whether cortical thickness mediated the relationship between exposure to maternal adversities and neurocognitive functioning.

Utilizing a large cohort of US children from the prospective Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD®) study, we found that diabetes-exposed children had a lower cortical thickness in the whole brain compared to unexposed children during 9 to 10 years of age. They also had a significantly lower cortical thickness in the occipital lobe. The lowered cortical thickness in the occipital lobe of diabetes-exposed children persisted till 12 years of age. Diabetes-exposed children had lower scores in the neurocognitive tasks between 9 to 12 years of age. However, the difference between exposed and unexposed children did not persist after controlling for the sociodemographic characteristics of the children including age, education, race and ethnicity, maternal education, and family income. The whole-brain cortical thickness did not mediate the relationship between exposure to maternal diabetes and neurocognitive function during preadolescent age. Children exposed to maternal hypertensive disorders (high blood pressure during pregnancy and preeclampsia/eclampsia) also had lower cortical thickness and neurocognitive functioning. However, this difference did not persist after controlling for the effect of the sociodemographic characteristics of the children and maternal characteristics. This study found that the effect of maternal hypertensive disorders on their cognitive functioning was mediated via low birthweight and body mass index during 9 to 10 years of age.

This study identified maternal diabetes during pregnancy as a potential risk factor for the alteration in the brain structure and lower cognitive abilities of their offspring during preadolescent age. Further prospective studies are required to confirm whether these effects persist during adolescence and adulthood as the brain will undergo further structural development during this period.

Identifier

FIDC011001

ORCID

0000-0003-4754-6281

Previously Published In

Shyfuddin Ahmed, Miguel Ángel Cano, Mariana Sánchez, Nan Hu & Gladys Ibañez (2023) Effect of exposure to maternal diabetes during pregnancy on offspring’s brain cortical thickness and neurocognitive functioning, Child Neuropsychology, 29:4, 588-606, DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2103105

Shyfuddin Ahmed, Miguel Ángel Cano, Mariana Sánchez, Nan Hu, Raul Gonzalez & Gladys Ibañez (2023) Effect of maternal hypertensive disorder on their children’s neurocognitive functioning in mediated via low birthweight and BMI not by brain cortical thickness, Applied Neuropsychology: Child, DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2023.2206029

Recommended Citation

Ahmed, Shyfuddin, "Exposure to Maternal Adversity during Gestation and Its Effect on Neurocognitive Function of the Offspring during Preadolescence" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5322.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5322