Word: brained
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...researcher who describes autism as a condition of the "extreme male brain" says fetuses exposed in the womb to high levels of the male hormone testosterone are more likely than others to develop autistic traits as children...
Being born premature is fraught with complications: in addition to their underdeveloped lungs and digestive systems, which make breathing and blood-sugar regulation difficult, many preemies also suffer long-term consequences in brain development. But researchers report that there may be a way to make up for some of that cognitive deficit: taking an over-the-counter supplement...
...total third-trimester fatty-acid intake comes from omega-3s, but by comparison, only about 0.2% to 0.35% of the total fatty acids in breast milk and infant formulas come from omega-3s. So, it makes sense that supplementing preemies' diets with omega-3 fatty acids, the same brain-boosting oils found in deep-ocean fish such as tuna and salmon, would improve their scores on cognitive tests...
Makrides plans to continue following the 657 premature babies in the study for another seven years, periodically testing their mental function. "Studies suggest that girls and boys who are born prematurely are indeed different in brain development," she says. "They actually don't have equivalent scores until about seven years of age. We will continue to follow these children until they are seven and we will be able to work out whether the effects seen at 18 months persist, and whether they are permanent...
...also worth remembering, says Adamkin, that some fish-oil capsules may contain mercury, which can actually deter brain development in children, and some studies have shown that too much omega-3 can retard kids' language development. It's also not clear from the current study exactly how much additional omega-3 is actually needed to see a benefit; while Makrides's study targeted the amounts a third-trimester fetus might receive, it's possible that the same brain benefits may accrue with less supplementation, or that more benefits may be gained by increasing the dose...