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Campos-Sánchez I, Navarrete-Muñoz EM, Hurtado-Pomares M, Júlvez J, Lertxundi N, Martens DS, Fernández-Somoano A, Riaño-Galán I, Guxens M, Ibarluzea JM, Nawrot T, Valera-Gran D. Association between telomere length and neuropsychological function at 4-5 years in children from the INMA project: a cross-sectional study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:2803-2812. [PMID: 38246982 PMCID: PMC11272730 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02361-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Shortened telomere length (TL) has been associated with lower cognitive performance, different neurological diseases in adults, and certain neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, the evidence about the association between TL and neuropsychological developmental outcomes in children from the general population is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between TL and neuropsychological function in children 4-5 years of age. We included 686 children from the INMA Project, a population-based birth cohort in Spain. Leucocyte TL was determined by quantitative PCR method, and neuropsychological outcomes were measured using the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MCSA). Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate associations adjusted for potential confounding variables. Main findings showed that a longer TL was associated with a higher mean working memory score (β = 4.55; 95% CI = 0.39, 8.71). In addition, longer TL was associated with a higher mean global quantitative score (β = 3.85; 95% CI = -0.19, 7.89), although the association was marginally significant. To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows a positive association between TL and better neuropsychological outcomes in children. Although further research is required to confirm these results, this study supports the hypothesis that TL is essential in protecting and maintaining a child's health, including cognitive functions such as working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Campos-Sánchez
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
| | - Eva María Navarrete-Muñoz
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain.
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain.
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Miriam Hurtado-Pomares
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
| | - Jordi Júlvez
- Clinical and Epidemiological Neuroscience (NeuroÈpia), Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Reus, Spain
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Lertxundi
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- School of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Dries S Martens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Ana Fernández-Somoano
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Oncología Del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA) - Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Isolina Riaño-Galán
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
- Servicio de Pediatría, Endocrinología Pediátrica, HUCA, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Mònica Guxens
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jesús María Ibarluzea
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Environmental Epidemiology and Child Development Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- School of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, San Sebastián, Spain
- Sub-Directorate for Public Health and Addictions of Gipuzkoa, Ministry of Health of the Basque Government, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Tim Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Desirée Valera-Gran
- Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain
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