Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-995ml Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T22:04:03.564Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Explicit memory performance in infants of diabetic mothers at 1 year of age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2005

Tracy DeBoer
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Development and Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
Sandi Wewerka
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
Patricia J Bauer
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Development and Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
Michael K Georgieff
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child Development and Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
Charles A Nelson
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child Development and Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, USA.
Get access

Abstract

The aim of the present research was to investigate the impact of abnormal fetal environment on explicit memory performance. Based on animal models, it was hypothesized that infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) experience perturbations in memory performance due to exposure to multiple neurologic risk factors including: chronic hypoxia, hyperglycemia/reactive hypoglycemia, and iron deficiency. Memory performance, as measured by the elicited/deferred imitation paradigm, was compared between 13 IDMs (seven females, six males; mean age 365 days, SD 11) and 16 typically developing children (seven females, nine males; mean age 379 days, SD 9). The IDM group was characterized by shorter gestational age (mean 38w, SD 2), greater standardized birthweight scores (mean 3797g, SD 947), and lower iron stores (mean ferritin concentration 87μg/L, SD 68) in comparison with the control group (mean gestational age: 40w, SD 1; mean birthweight: 3639g, SD 348; mean newborn ferritin concentration 140μg/L, SD 46). After statistically controlling for both gestational age and global cognitive abilities, IDMs demonstrated a deficit in the ability to recall multi-step event sequences after a delay was imposed. These findings highlight the importance of the prenatal environment on subsequent mnemonic behavior and suggest a connection between metabolic abnormalities during the prenatal period, development of memory, circuitry, and behavioral mnemonic performance.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
© 2005 Mac Keith Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)