Vitamin D status in pregnancy and childhood associates with intelligence quotient at age 7 years: An Odense child cohort study

• Published in: Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry 2023-07, Vol.57 (7), p.1062-1072
• Main Authors: Cantio, Emily, Bilenberg, Niels, Nørgaard, Signe Monrad, Beck, Iben Have, Möller, Sören, Cantio, Cathriona, Jensen, Tina Kold, Mortensen, Nicoline Bebe, Rasmussen, Asta, Christesen, Henrik Boye Thybo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0004-8674; 1440-1614
• DOI: 10.1177/00048674221116027

Objectives: Animal studies indicate a key role for vitamin D in brain development and function, but observational studies in humans only suggests a borderline positive association between prenatal vitamin D exposure and cognitive development in the offspring. Knowledge gaps include insights in exposure time window and differences by sex for the association. We aimed to investigate the association between blood concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D measured at four different time points and intelligence quotient score at the age of 7 years, including analyses spilt by child sex. Methods: In Odense child cohort, we included 1404 mother–child pairs with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D data from early pregnancy to age 7 years. Full-scale intelligence quotient was assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – fifth edition. Associations were adjusted for maternal education, pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational age, sex and head circumference. Subanalyses stratified by sex were performed. Results: The median (interquartile range) serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in cord was 45.88 (31.15–61.08) nmol/L; early pregnancy, 66.45 (51.29–78.74); late pregnancy, 79.13 (59.69–97.31); 7 years, 66.29 (53.45–80.23) nmol/L. The mean (standard deviation) full-scale intelligence quotient was 99.44 (11.98). In adjusted analyses, cord serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D