title: Relationship between maternal thyroxine levels during pregnancy and memory function in childhood.
abstract: Two investigations are reported into the memory functions of a group of subjects for whom information on maternal thyroxine (T4) levels during pregnancy is available. The first study made when the subjects were aged 14-15 years examined forward and backward memory span. No relationship between maternal T4 levels and capacity of the short-term store, measured as length of forward memory span, was found. Backward memory span, which involves performing a mental operation on the material held in store, was found to be associated with maternal T4 level. The second study, made when the subjects were aged 16-17 years, found a relationship between maternal T4 levels during pregnancy and memory for serial position. Findings are discussed in terms of the role of maternal thyroxine in fetal brain development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Liverpool, U.K.
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Pharoah
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013974:Thyroxine