Research project The aim of this project is to investigate whether improved nutritional intake and diet in pregnant women and infants can reduce the risk of later learning and neurodevelopmental disorders in the children.
Cognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders are common - they affect approx. 20% of all Swedish children and include ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, learning difficulties and developmental delay. Diet and nutritional intake have been shown to be very important for brain development during fetal life and infancy, both in healthy children and in risk groups. The project results will be the basis for future recommendations for pregnant women and children and will hopefully contribute to reducing the risk of nutritional deficiencies and of learning and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
Anders Elfvin, Göteborg
Christian Gadsböll, Malmö
David Ley, Lund
Erik Normann
Fredrik Serenius, Uppsala
Karin Källén, Lund
Karin Sävman, Göteborg
Lars Björklund, Lund
Lena Westas, Uppsala
Maria-Teresia Svanvik, Göteborg
Michaela Granfors, Stockholm
Mikael Norman, KI
Petra Um Bergström, KI
Thomas Abrahamsson, Linköping
Stellan Håkansson, SNQ
Ulrika Ådén, KI
Sissel Moltu, Oslo
Bo Lönnerdal, UC Davis
Marie Larsson, Lund
Ola Andersson, Lund
Agneta Lindo, Göteborg
Caroline Lilliecreutz, Linköping
Helena Filipsson, Göteborg
Pia Åkeson Karlsland, Malmö
Eleni Kordi, Malmö
We evaluate various interventions in several clinical studies:
· Iron supplementation (or placebo) to 228 breastfed infants aged 4-9 months - follow-up at 1, 2 and 3 years of age
· Iodine supplementation (or placebo) to 1275 pregnant women - follow-up at 3 years
· Hydrolyzed (or standard) milk formula to 234 healthy infants - follow-up at 1 year
· Fatty acid supplementation (or placebo) to 129 prematurely born children - follow-up at 2 years
In addition, we investigate how early nutritional intake is linked to the risk of cognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders in healthy women and children in the NorthPop study, as well as in risk groups, e.g. premature infants.
To assess the risk of later cognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders, we use advanced methods (MR brain, psychological tests) and we also develop new, promising methods such as functional near infrared spectroscopy (a high-tech "cap" that records brain activity) and the blood test marker neurofilament light.
