1 week Ago By [email protected] (Steven Smith)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info New research has revealed a concerning link between asthma and memory problems in children, suggesting that an earlier onset of the condition could exacerbate these issues.
A recent study showed kids with asthma were outperformed by their peers on memory tasks, hinting at potential long-term implications, including an enhanced risk of developing dementia. During a two-year investigation involving 473 children, researchers noticed those who developed asthma earlier and had it for longer periods showed slower memory development. Lead researcher Prof Simona Ghetti from the University of California's Centre for Mind and Brain said: "This study underscores the importance of looking at asthma as a potential source of cognitive difficulty in children.
" She added: "We are becoming increasingly aware that chronic diseases, not only asthma but also diabetes, heart disease and others may place children at increased risk of cognitive difficulties. We need to understand the factors that might exacerbate or protect against the risks." Previous research aligns with these findings, indicating a connection between asthma and an elevated likelihood of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in both older adults and animal models, reports Surrey Live .
Nicholas Christopher-Hayes, a psychology PhD candidate from UC Davis and lead author of the study, said: "Asthma might set children on a trajectory that could increase their risk to later develop something more serious like dementia as adults." The study did not pinpoint the exact mechanism behind memory problems linked with asthma, but the experts suggest factors such as persistent inflammation caused by asthma or recurrent disruptions in brain oxygen supply during attacks could play a role. Involving data from 2,062 nine to ten year old children with asthma, researchers examined the potential impact on episodic memory and cognitive functioning.
Episodic memory helps individuals recall personal experiences, emotions, and the people or objects associated with these events. A subset of this group, comprising 473 participants, was tracked over two years to further investigate the findings. Published in Jama Network Open, the study's data originates from America's National Institutes of Health, collated since 2015 as part of the extensive and ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, which investigates 11,800 children.
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