Maternal Selenium Status and Child Neuropsychological Development in Young Children

Background/Aim: Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for humans. However, at high exposures, it has been linked to neurotoxicity during early development. Very few studies have evaluated the potential non-linear relationship between maternal Se status and child neuropsychological development among populations at intermediate Se levels. We aimed to explore this association among preschool children. Methods: Study subjects were 490 mother-child pair participants in the INMA birth cohort study in Valencia, Spain (recruitment: 2003-2005). Se was measured in serum samples collected during the first trimester of pregnancy. Neuropsychological development was assessed using the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities at 5 years of age. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary characteristics were obtained by questionnaires during pregnancy and childhood. Multivariate linear and generalized additive models were used to assess the relationship between Se and neuropsychological scores. Child sex and breastfeeding w...