Maternal fatty acids in pregnancy, FADS polymorphisms, and child intelligence quotient at 8 y of age
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Brain tissue is selectively enriched with highly unsaturated fatty acids (FAs). Altering the maternal FA status in pregnancy may improve fetal neural development with lasting consequences for child development.
OBJECTIVE: We explored whether maternal FAs in erythrocytes, either measured directly or indirectly by maternal FADS genetic variants, are associated with child intelligence quotient (IQ).
DESIGN: Linear regression analyses, adjusted for 18 confounders, were used to investigate the associations in 2839 mother-child pairs from the population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort.
RESULTS: Low levels of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) were associated with lower performance IQ (-2.0 points; 95% CI: -3.5, -0.6 points; P = 0.007, increased R² = 0.27%), high levels of osbond acid (22:5n-6) were associated with verbal IQ (-1.8 points; 95% CI: -3.2, -0.4 points; P = 0.014, R² = 0.20%), and high levels of adrenic acid (22:4n-6) were associated with verbal IQ (-1.7 points; 95% CI:-3.1, -0.3 points; P = 0.016, R² = 0.19%). There was some evidence to support a negative association of low docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) with full-scale IQ (R² = 0.15%). Novel weak associations were also observed for low levels of osbond acid (R² ≤ 0.29%) and FADS variants with opposite effects for intron variants and variants in the promoter region such as rs3834458 (R² ≤ 0.38%).
CONCLUSIONS: These results support the positive role of maternal arachidonic acid and…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence.
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