Study finds that asthma in children is linked to memory difficulties, with earlier onset potentially exacerbating the impact and extending to executive function challenges. In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open , doctors from the University of California Davis School of Medicine examined the potential link between childhood asthma and memory difficulties, especially in episodic memory. They analyzed longitudinal data on cognitive and brain development in adolescents to compare memory and cognitive development in children with and without asthma.
The findings indicated lower memory scores for children with asthma. Background Asthma is a prevalent chronic respiratory condition among children and manifests primarily through symptoms such as wheezing and breathing difficulties. However, recent studies on animal models have indicated that asthma could lead to neurological changes, including memory deficits.
In rodent models, asthma is associated with neuroinflammation and hippocampal injury, which impair memory functions. The hippocampus, crucial for episodic memory, appears especially vulnerable to inflammation and hypoxia from chronic respiratory conditions. Research on childhood asthma has primarily focused on physical symptoms and has largely overlooked potential cognitive implications, especially related to memory and attention.
The few studies that have examined cognitive differences reported that children with severe asthma have lower verbal memory than their pee.