Cathrine C Bach1,2, Tine B Henriksen3, René T Larsen3, Kristina Aagaard3, Niels B Matthiesen3,4. 1. Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit & Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. ccbach@clin.au.dk. 2. Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Viborg Regional Hospital, Viborg, Denmark. ccbach@clin.au.dk. 3. Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit & Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. 4. Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Randers Regional Hospital, Randers, Denmark.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Early measures of cognitive function are of great public health interest. We aimed to estimate the association between head circumference at birth, a measure of cerebral size, and school performance. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cohort study of all liveborn singletons in Denmark, 1997-2005. The association between birth head circumference z score and test scores in reading and mathematics from a nationwide mandatory computer-based school test program (7-16 years) was estimated by multivariable linear regression adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: The cohort included 536,921 children. Compared to normocephalic children, children with microcephaly [<-2 standard deviations (SD)] had lower mean reading scores: second grade: -0.08 SD (95% CI -0.10 to -0.06), eighth grade: -0.07 SD (95% CI -0.10 to -0.04). Macrocephaly (>+2 SD) was associated with higher scores. In normocephalic children, each SD increase in head circumference was associated with a 0.03 SD (95% CI 0.03 to 0.04) increase in mean reading scores. The results were similar across grades within both reading and mathematics. CONCLUSION: Prenatal brain growth may be causally related to childhood school performance. The demonstrated differences are unlikely to be clinically relevant at the individual level but may be important at a public health level.
BACKGROUND: Early measures of cognitive function are of great public health interest. We aimed to estimate the association between head circumference at birth, a measure of cerebral size, and school performance. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cohort study of all liveborn singletons in Denmark, 1997-2005. The association between birth head circumference z score and test scores in reading and mathematics from a nationwide mandatory computer-based school test program (7-16 years) was estimated by multivariable linear regression adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: The cohort included 536,921 children. Compared to normocephalic children, children with microcephaly [<-2 standard deviations (SD)] had lower mean reading scores: second grade: -0.08 SD (95% CI -0.10 to -0.06), eighth grade: -0.07 SD (95% CI -0.10 to -0.04). Macrocephaly (>+2 SD) was associated with higher scores. In normocephalic children, each SD increase in head circumference was associated with a 0.03 SD (95% CI 0.03 to 0.04) increase in mean reading scores. The results were similar across grades within both reading and mathematics. CONCLUSION: Prenatal brain growth may be causally related to childhood school performance. The demonstrated differences are unlikely to be clinically relevant at the individual level but may be important at a public health level.
Authors: Niels B Matthiesen; Tine B Henriksen; J William Gaynor; Peter Agergaard; Cathrine C Bach; Vibeke E Hjortdal; John R Østergaard Journal: Circulation Date: 2016-01-14 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Yunhee Kang; Lee Shu Fune Wu; Saijuddin Shaikh; Hasmot Ali; Abu Ahmed Shamim; Parul Christian; Alain Labrique; Keith P West Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2022-05-01 Impact factor: 8.472