BOSTON: The folic acid enrichment not only protects developing babies against certain birth defects, but also promotes healthy brain development during adolescence, researchers report.
"It has been known for more than 20 years that an antenatal exposure to folic acid protects the fetus against spina bifida and other neural tube defects," said Dr. Joshua L. Roffman, lead author of the study, Massachusetts General Hospital in Charlestown.
"Our findings are among the first to establish a link between prenatal exposure to folic acid and improved cerebral health in young people," and to show that the folate effect is due to specific changes in brain development. an email.
Researchers evaluated associations between prenatal exposure to folic acid, cerebral cortex maturation, and risk of psychiatric disorders in 8-18-year-olds born before, during, and after full implementation of acid fortification 1996 and 1998.
The thickness of the cerebral cortex was highest among young born after the full implementation of folic acid fortification , intermediate in those born during deployment and lower in those born before folic acid fortification according to JAMA Psychiatry. After the brain has reached its full thickness, the cortex begins to thin in a selective pruning process. Delayed thinning has been associated with higher intelligence, whereas accelerated thinning has been associated with schizophrenia and autism,
In this study, folic acid fortification was associated with slowing down of thinning "Despite the longstanding recommendations that women of childbearing age take folic acid to protect themselves from neural tube defects, in particular Particularly in cases of unplanned pregnancy, most pregnant women do not take prenatal supplements of folic acid (eg prenatal vitamins) and less than half of the world's population lives in countries that require it. 39, folic acid fortification of grain products, "said Roffman
demonstrating that prenatal folic acid can confer additional protective and lasting effects on health. Even if such a benefit ultimately turns out to be weak or limited to a certain population, since folic acid during pregnancy is safe for the mother and the fetus, inexpensive and readily available, "adds there. "This study provides additional evidence to support the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine that all women of childbearing age consume 0.4 mg (400 micrograms) of" This study provides additional evidence that all countries should use folic acid fortification or other effective approaches to ensure folic acid, "said Dr. Patrick J. Stover of Texas A & M University at College Station – women have adequate levels of folic acid intake during pregnancy, "he said.
