title: Are there early inflammatory biomarkers that affect neurodevelopment in infancy?
abstract: Few studies have investigated the relationship between post-natal inflammatory biomarkers at early age and child neurodevelopment outcomes. The main aim of this study was to examine the relationship between IL-6, IL-1β, IL-4 cytokines, as well as cortisol at 6 and 12months of age, and neurodevelopment and psychological problems at 30months of age. The study was conducted on a sample of 51 full-term newborns who were followed up at 6, 12, and 30months of age. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II, psychological problems were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (CBCL 1.5-5) and the mother's emotional symptoms were assessed with the General Health Questionnaire-28. When the infants were 6 and 12months old, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-4 cytokines, and cortisol were measured in blood samples. The results showed that higher IL-6 at 12months predicted higher scores in internalizing (emotionally reactive, anxious/depressed, withdrawn and attention problems) and externalizing problems (aggressive behavior) at 30months. By contrast, high levels of IL-1β at 6months were related to worse motor skills. Inflammatory biomarkers were not related to mental performance. IL-6 and IL-1β could be early markers of later psychological problems and psychomotor disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Behavioral Assessment (CRAMC), Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Ciències de l'Educació i Psicologia, Crta/ de Valls s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; Nutrition and Mental Health Research Group (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Voltas
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Behavioral Assessment (CRAMC), Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Ciències de l'Educació i Psicologia, Crta/ de Valls s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; Nutrition and Public Health Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, C/ Sant Llorenç, 21, 43201 Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arija
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Behavioral Assessment (CRAMC), Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Ciències de l'Educació i Psicologia, Crta/ de Valls s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; Nutrition and Mental Health Research Group (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hernández-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Allergy Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Feijoo
authors.affiliation: Paediatrics, Nutrition and Human Development Research Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, C/ Sant Llorenç, 21, 43201 Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: Natàlia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferré
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Behavioral Assessment (CRAMC), Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Facultat de Ciències de l'Educació i Psicologia, Crta/ de Valls s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; Nutrition and Mental Health Research Group (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain. Electronic address: josefa.canals@urv.cat.
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Canals
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D015415:Biomarkers; D002652:Child Behavior; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Cortisol; IL-1β; IL-4; IL-6; Infants; Inflammatory biomarkers; Neurodevelopment; Psychopathology