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    • Asthma in children linked to memory difficulties, study finds
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    Asthma in children linked to memory difficulties, study finds

    Umito Posted on

    A recent study published in JAMA Network Open showed that asthma is associated with poorer memory, particularly in those who developed the disease at an early stage.

    Researchers found that children with asthma performed worse on memory tasks and executive functions than children without asthma, and those who developed the disease earlier performed worse on memory tests.

    Episodic memory, the ability to remember past events in specific detail, requires the integrity of the hippocampus, because it is in this hippocampus that new connections are continually formed under the influence of the environment. This type of memory involves remembering specific details about past events, such as when and where they happened, who was present, and the emotions and thoughts present at the time.

    Memory deficits in children with asthma may have longer-term consequences, including an increased risk of developing diseases such as dementia, researchers say. Previous studies in older people and animals have found that asthma is associated with a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, both of which affect memory. Nicholas Christopher-Hayes, a doctoral student in psychology at UC Davis and first author of the study, said: “Asthma could put children on a trajectory that could increase their risk of later developing something more serious like dementia in adulthood.

    Simona Ghetti, professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, said: “This study highlights the importance of considering asthma as a potential source of cognitive difficulties in children.” She also said: “We are increasingly aware that chronic diseases, not only asthma, but also diabetes, heart disease and others, can put children at increased risk of cognitive difficulties.”

    Although the study did not examine the mechanism responsible for memory difficulties associated with asthma, the researchers cite potential factors such as prolonged inflammation due to asthma or repeated disruptions in asthma intake. oxygen to the brain due to asthma attacks. Rodent models have shown that asthma causes neuronal damage in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is highly sensitive to neuroinflammatory responses. Difficulty breathing can lead to episodes of oxygen deprivation in the brain, which can lead to damage to the hippocampus.

    Other studies have indicated difficulties with attention, executive functions, visual memory, and working memory in children with asthma, and children with asthma had more difficulty concentrating. Previous studies have shown that children with asthma who receive high doses of corticosteroids suffer from verbal memory deficits compared to children receiving lower doses.

    In the cross-sectional analysis, the study included 2,062 children, of whom 1,031 had asthma and were on average 11.99 years old. The data was collected starting in 2015 as part of the large, ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study involving 11,800 children. The smaller sample that followed the children for two years included 473 children, divided into two groups based on age of childhood asthma onset. The first group included 135 children with early-onset asthma, 56% of whom were boys. The racial distribution of the first group included 28% black children, 21% Latino or Hispanic children, and 48% white children. The second group, whose asthma symptoms appeared relatively later, included 102 children with an average age of 9.88 years, of whom 53% were girls. The racial distribution of the second group included 17% black children, 19% Latino or Hispanic children, and 63% white children. The two groups were compared to a third group of 237 non-asthmatic children, with an average age of 9.89 years. The racial distribution of the third group included 15% black children, 20% Latino or Hispanic children, and 62% white children.

    In a sample of 473 children followed for two years, scientists found that those whose asthma started earlier – and who had the disease longer – had slower memory development over time. The memory development of children with asthma from an early age showed less progress than that of children who developed asthma later or who did not have asthma at all. Nicholas Christopher-Hayes said: “Childhood is a time of rapid improvement in memory and, in general, cognition. In children with asthma, this improvement may be slower.”

    The results of the cross-sectional analysis showed that children with asthma performed lower on tests of episodic memory, processing speed and executive functions such as attention, and they also needed on average more time to answer questions (Asharq News). These findings suggest that asthma may negatively affect memory, processing speed, and executive functions in children. This negative impact can affect children’s academic performance and their ability to concentrate.

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    Researchers have unanswered questions, such as the frequency and severity of asthma attacks in these children and how it affects their development. They could not determine whether using corticosteroid inhalers had an impact on children’s brains. They also want to understand to what extent children’s living environment influences their cognitive development. The study cannot prove that asthma is the cause of poorer cognitive development.

    Factors such as prolonged inflammation or repeated disruptions in oxygen supply to the brain due to asthma attacks may contribute to cognitive difficulties, researchers say. Duration of illness may also play an important role, as asthma duration is associated with changes in brain structure and function in adults.

    Research on other conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, has shown that children with complications at an early age may be particularly prone to cognitive difficulties. Such relationships between asthma and cognitive difficulties have previously been observed in adults.

    Sources: NRC Handelsblad, The Independent, Yahoo News, The Guardian, expressandstar.com, La Razon, Asharq News.

    This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq



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