Prenatal exposure to caffeine increases the risk of childhood behavioral disorders

Brain scan analysis of 9,000 children aged 9-10 years… Check tissue changes with white matter nerve

Researchers at the University of Rochester, USA, have a paper in the journal Neuropharmacology

Coffee with caffeine
Coffee with caffeine

Fetal caffeine exposure can lead to behavioral disorders in childhood, research has shown.
[연합뉴스 자료사진 / 재판매 및 DB 금지]

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kicheon Han = Caffeine is a type of alkaloid (plant base) contained in the leaves, fruits, and seeds of plants such as coffee and tea, and is known to be effective in relieving mental arousal and fatigue.

In academia, caffeine has been reported to have a negative effect on pregnancy.

There have also been reports that the enzyme necessary to break down caffeine that has spread in the placenta is not present in the uterus.

However, studies have shown that caffeine can have a lasting effect on the development of brain neurons in fetuses.

The point is that excessive caffeine intake in pregnant women can cause changes in important brain nerve pathways in the fetus, leading to behavioral disorders in childhood.

Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) who conducted this study submitted a related paper to the peer-reviewed scientific journal Neuropharmacology on the 8th (local time).

The research team analyzed the results of brain scans of more than 9,000 children aged 9-10 years old who participated in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study at the University of Rochester.

Children exposed to caffeine through the placenta clearly had a different brain structure.

It was presumed to be the result of changes in the organizational processes of the white matter track that connects brain regions.

Brain neurons awake even under general anesthesia
Brain neurons awake even under general anesthesia

[미국 듀크대 제공 / 재판매 및 DB 금지]

Scientists have identified cases of high behavioral disorders, attention disorders, and hyperactivity in these children.

However, it is not known whether the effect of caffeine on the fetus’s brain changes at the next stage in the first 3 months of pregnancy, and at what point during pregnancy these brain structures change.

In addition, the amount of caffeine intake during pregnancy, that is, the level of caffeine exposure in the fetus, was estimated based on the mother’s memory, which is considered a limitation of this study.

ABCD is the largest brain development and child health research program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and gathers data from 21 organizations in the United States, including the URMC.

Dr. Zachary Christensen, the first author of the paper, said, “The guidelines for caffeine intake during pregnancy suggested by doctors are not to exceed two cups per day in a normal cup.” Whenever this occurs, it is better to consult a doctor.”

“The minor effects of caffeine do not cause terrible neuropsychiatric disorders,” said Dr. John Fox, director of research at Rochester’s ABCD. said.

He added, “From the results of this study, caffeine consumption during pregnancy is not a good idea.”

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