Six-month intervention with wild blueberries improved speed of processing in mild cognitive decline: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: As the sector of the population over 65y increases, cognitive decline and dementia become a public health issue. Interventions to improve brain health and thus, quality of life for older adults are needed. OBJECTIVE: It was hypothesized that those consuming a flavonoid-rich, lyophilized wild blueberry powder would evidence improvements in cognitive performance as measured behaviorally and electrophysiologically compared to those consuming a placebo powder across a 6-month intervention period. DESIGN: In a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial, participants experiencing cognitive issues as determined by scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were randomized to consume either wild blueberry (n = 44) or placebo (n = 42) powder daily for 6 months. Participants who were not experiencing any cognitive issues were included as a reference group (n = 45). Participants were tested at baseline and outcome on the Cambridge Neurological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and in an electrophysiological paradigm known as event-related potentials (ERP). RESULTS: Tests of specific cognitive abilities using the CANTAB showed speed of processing not only improved in the blueberry intervention group relative to the placebo group across the 6-month intervention, but blueberries also restored speed of processing to the level of the reference group. The ERP results also showed that, relative to those consuming placebo, speed of processing improved for those in the blueberry group; this improvement was most prominent in those 75-80y. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of wild blueberries for six months improves cognitive aging sequelae by improving the speed of information processing in older adults.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01515098.

Nutritional Factors in Fetal and Infant Brain Development.

Fetal and infant brain development determine the trajectory of the organism across the lifespan. Optimal maternal and infant nutrition during the period of rapid brain development is vital to the integrity of the neural substrate for subsequent lifelong functions. The goal of this review is to educate the reader on the effects of fetal and infant nutrition on the developing human brain. A review of the literature reveals 6 nutrients that have been studied with respect to maternal nutrition and subsequent offspring brain development: folate, iodine, iron, vitamin D, choline, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3). The research is discussed with a focus on the timing of nutrient needs (preconception, prenatally, and postnatally) as well as potential confounding and unobserved variables.

Omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid intake of children and older adults in the U.S.: dietary intake in comparison to current dietary recommendations and the Healthy Eating Index.

BACKGROUND: Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) and their ratio have been shown to affect cognitive function in children and older adults. With these analyses, we aimed to describe omega-6 and omega-3 FA intake among children and older adults in light of FA intake recommendations and with consideration of overall diet. METHODS: Data were merged from two cross-sectional studies with 219 children 7 to 12 years old and one longitudinal study with 133 adults 65 to 79 years old. Demographic data, anthropometric data, and Healthy Eating Index scores were used to study relations among the omega-6 to omega-3 FA ratio and age, education, body mass index, and diet quality. FA intake, demographic, and anthropometric data were examined using partial correlations, t-tests, and analysis of variance. RESULTS: Most children and adults consumed at least the recommended amount of alpha-linolenic acid (LNA; omega-3) for their age and gender without consuming high amounts of linoleic acid (LA; omega-6), but did not consume sufficient eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; omega-) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; omega-3). The average omega-6 to omega-3 ratios in both groups were lower than previously reported. Eating lower ratios was associated with healthier diets and consuming adequate amounts of several other nutrients. No demographic or anthropometric variables were related to FA intake in children. Adults with a college degree had significantly lower ratios than those without a college degree. CONCLUSIONS: American children and older adults are able to consume more balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratios than has been indicated by commodity data. However, very few American children met even the lowest recommendations for EPA and DHA intake. Research is needed to clarify recommendations for the optimal ratio across development, which may aid in increasing EPA and DHA intake and improving health outcomes in the United States. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02199808 13 July 2014, NCT01823419 (retrospectively registered) 20 March 2013, and NCT01515098 18 January 2012.

Event-related potential differences in children supplemented with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during infancy.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) have been shown to be necessary for early retinal and brain development, but long-term cognitive benefits of LCPUFA in infancy have not been definitively established. The present study sought to determine whether LCPUFA supplementation during the first year of life would result in group differences in behavior and event-related potentials (ERPs) while performing a task requiring response inhibition (Go/No-Go) at 5.5 years of age. As newborns, 69 children were randomly assigned to infant formulas containing either no LCPUFA (control) or formula with 0.64% of total fatty acids as arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4n6) and various concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n3) (0.32%, 0.64% or 0.96%) for the first 12 months of life. At 5.5 years of age, a task designed to test the ability to inhibit a prepotent response (Go/No-Go) was administered, yielding both event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral data. Behavioral measures did not differ between groups, although reaction times of supplemented children were marginally faster. Unsupplemented children had lower P2 amplitude than supplemented children to both Go and No-Go conditions. N2 amplitude was significantly higher on No-Go trials than Go trials, but only for supplemented children, resulting in a significant Group × Condition interaction. Topographical analysis of the ERPs revealed that the LCPUFA-supplemented group developed a novel period of synchronous activation (microstate) involving wider anterior brain activation around 200 ms; this microstate was not present in controls. These findings suggest that LCPUFA supplementation during the first 12 months of life exerts a developmental programming effect that is manifest in brain electrophysiology. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM2leg4sevs.

Mechanisms and correlates of a healthy brain: a commentary.

In this monograph, the message is that early inactivity and obesity lead to later chronic disease, and, as such, physical inactivity should be recognized as a public health crisis. Sedentary behavior, to some extent, serves a purpose in our current culture (e.g., keeping children indoors keeps them safe), and, as such, may not be amenable to change. Thus, it is important that we understand the underpinnings of later-developing chronic disease as this complex public health issue may have roots that go deeper than sedentary behavior. In this commentary, I speculate on the mechanisms for physical activity exacting positive changes on cognitive abilities. Three potential mechanisms are discussed: glucose transport, postnatal neurogenesis, and vitamin synthesis, all of which are inextricably linked to nutrition. This discussion of mechanisms is followed by a discussion of tractable correlates of the progression to non-communicable disease in the adult.

Testing a cascade model linking prenatal inflammation to child executive function.

Inflammation during pregnancy is beginning to be understood as a risk factor predicting poor infant health and neurodevelopmental outcomes. The long-term sequelae associated with exposure to prenatal inflammation are less well established. The current study examined associations between maternal inflammation during pregnancy, markers of infant neurodevelopment (general cognitive ability, negative affect, and sleep quality), and preschool executive function (EF) in a longitudinal sample of 40 African American mother-infant dyads. Mothers completed a blood draw in the third trimester of pregnancy to measure plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin 6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α]). When infants were 6 months of age, we assessed general cognitive ability via the Bayley-III, negative affect via the Still-Face Paradigm, and sleep quality via actigraphy monitoring. When children were 4 years of age, we assessed their EF ability using four tasks from the EF Touch battery. Elevated levels of maternal CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α were associated with poorer infant general cognitive ability. Although there were no direct effects of prenatal inflammation on preschool EF, we observed an indirect relationship between IL-6 and preschool EF ability via infant general cognitive ability. Our findings suggest that prenatal inflammation may have long-lasting, cascading implications for child neurodevelopment. Implications of these findings for health disparities in women and children of color are discussed.

Enhancing the Cognitive Effects of Flavonoids With Physical Activity: Is There a Case for the Gut Microbiome?

Age-related cognitive changes can be the first indication of the progression to dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease. These changes may be driven by a complex interaction of factors including diet, activity levels, genetics, and environment. Here we review the evidence supporting relationships between flavonoids, physical activity, and brain function. Recent in vivo experiments and human clinical trials have shown that flavonoid-rich foods can inhibit neuroinflammation and enhance cognitive performance. Improved cognition has also been correlated with a physically active lifestyle, and with the functionality and diversity of the gut microbiome. The great majority (+ 90%) of dietary flavonoids are biotransformed into phytoactive phenolic metabolites at the gut microbiome level prior to absorption, and these prebiotic flavonoids modulate microbiota profiles and diversity. Health-relevant outcomes from flavonoid ingestion may only be realized in the presence of a robust microbiome. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) accelerates the catabolism and uptake of these gut-derived anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory metabolites into circulation. The gut microbiome exerts a profound influence on cognitive function; moderate exercise and flavonoid intake influence cognitive benefits; and exercise and flavonoid intake influence the microbiome. We conclude that there is a potential for combined impacts of flavonoid intake and physical exertion on cognitive function, as modulated by the gut microbiome, and that the combination of a flavonoid-rich diet and routine aerobic exercise may potentiate cognitive benefits and reduce cognitive decline in an aging population, via mechanisms mediated by the gut microbiome. Mechanistic animal studies and human clinical interventions are needed to further explore this hypothesis.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in infancy reduces heart rate and positively affects distribution of attention.

A double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-group prospective trial was conducted to determine whether a dose-response existed for four different levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation on the cognitive performance of infants. A total of 122 term infants were fed one of four different formulas varying in their DHA composition (0.00, 0.32, 0.64, and 0.96% of total fatty acids as DHA) from birth to 12 mo. The three DHA-supplemented formulas also contained 0.64% of total fatty acids as arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6). Infants were tested at 4, 6, and 9 mo of age on a visual habituation protocol that yielded both behavioral and psychophysiological indices of attention. Infants in all DHA+ARA-supplemented conditions had lower heart rates than those in the unsupplemented condition; there was no dose-response for this effect. The distribution of time that infants spent in different phases of attention (a cognitive index derived from the convergence of behavioral and cardiac responses) varied as a function of dosage. Infants supplemented at the two lower DHA doses spent proportionately more time engaged in active stimulus processing than infants fed the unsupplemented formula, whereas infants fed the highest dose were intermediate and did not differ from any other group.

Diversity of the gut-microbiome related to cognitive behavioral outcomes in healthy older adults.

With the aging of the United States population, age-related cognitive disorders will be more prevalent and will negatively impact society. Differences in factors within and among individuals that influence cognitive decline complicate studies on the topic. One difference among individuals - gut microbiome diversity and composition - changes within the person across their lifespan and varies among individuals. An individual's gut microflora can significantly influence gut-brain communication, brain function, and behavior. Little research has been done to evaluate the gut-brain relation in non-clinical populations, with no previous studies, to our knowledge, in healthy older adults. In the present study, we investigated the relation between microbiome diversity and cognitive decline. The researchers invited sixty-three healthy older adults between 67-83 years of age to provide a fecal sample and complete an electrophysiological assessment of brain potentials (Event-Related Potentials; ERP) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Electrophysiological and behavioral data were related to alpha diversity, a measure of the variety of species in the gut-microbiome, supporting the hypothesis that a relation exists between gut microbial diversity and cognitive performance in healthy older adults as measured by CANTAB and ERP. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate the association between ERP outcomes and the gut-microbiome. Our results begin to bridge the gap in our understanding of the connection between behavior and the composition of the gut-microbiome, commonly referred to as the gut-brain connection.

Social dominance in preschool classrooms.

The authors examined preschoolers' aggressive and cooperative behaviors and their associations with social dominance. First and as predicted, directly observed aggressive interactions decreased across the school year, and same-sex aggression occurred more frequently than cross-sex aggression. Next, the authors examined the relation between aggression and reconciliation, cooperation, and social display variables. Teacher ratings of children's aggression related to observed aggression but not to observed "wins" of aggressive bouts. Instead, wins were related to cooperation and display variables. Finally, they examined the relative power of wins and cooperation in predicting 2 measures of social dominance. After age was controlled, wins alone predicted teacher-rated social dominance. Results are discussed in terms of different forms of competition and how school ethos affects these forms.

Executive functions and the ω-6-to-ω-3 fatty acid ratio: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The ω-6 (n-6) to ω-3 (n-3) fatty acid (FA) ratio (n-6:n-3 ratio) was previously shown to be a predictor of executive function performance in children aged 7-9 y. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to replicate and extend previous findings by exploring the role of the n-6:n-3 ratio in executive function performance. We hypothesized that there would be an interaction between n-3 and the n-6:n-3 ratio, with children with low n-3 performing best with a low ratio, and those with high n-3 performing best with a high ratio. DESIGN: Children were recruited on the basis of their consumption of n-6 and n-3 FAs. The executive function performance of 78 children aged 7-12 y was tested with the use of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery and a planning task. Participants provided blood for plasma FA quantification, and the caregiver completed demographic and activity questionnaires. We investigated the role of the n-6:n-3 ratio in the entire sample and separately in children aged 7-9 y (n = 41) and 10-12 y (n = 37). RESULTS: Dietary and plasma n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicted performance on working memory and planning tasks in children 7-12 y old. The interaction between dietary n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicted the number of moves required to solve the most difficult planning problems in children aged 7-9 y and those aged 10-12 y, similar to results from the previous study. There was also an interaction between the plasma n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicting time spent thinking through the difficult 5-move planning problems. The n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicted executive function performance differently in children aged 7-9 y and in those aged 10-12 y, indicating different optimal FA balances across development. CONCLUSIONS: The n-6:n-3 ratio is an important consideration in the role of FAs in cognitive function, and the optimal balance of n-6 and n-3 FAs depends on the cognitive function and developmental period studied. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02199808.

Latent profile and cluster analysis of infant temperament: Comparisons across person-centered approaches.

There is renewed interest in person-centered approaches to understanding the structure of temperament. However, questions concerning temperament types are not frequently framed in a developmental context, especially during infancy. In addition, the most common person-centered techniques, cluster analysis (CA) and latent profile analysis (LPA), have not been compared with respect to derived temperament types. To address these gaps, we set out to identify temperament types for younger and older infants, comparing LPA and CA techniques. Multiple data sets (N = 1,356; 672 girls, 677 boys) with maternal ratings of infant temperament obtained using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (Gartstein & Rothbart, 2003) were combined. All infants were between 3 and 12 months of age (M = 7.85; SD = 3.00). Due to rapid development in the first year of life, LPA and CA were performed separately for younger (n = 731; 3 to 8 months of age) and older (n = 625; 9 to 12 months of age) infants. Results supported 3-profile/cluster solutions as optimal for younger infants, and 5-profile/cluster solutions for the older subsample, indicating considerable differences between early/mid and late infancy. LPA and CA solutions produced relatively comparable types for younger and older infants. Results are discussed in the context of developmental changes unique to the end of the first year of life, which likely account for the present findings. (PsycINFO Database Record

N-3 fatty acids and cognitive and visual acuity development: methodologic and conceptual considerations.

Several randomized clinical studies in infants born preterm and at term have explored the effects on visual acuity development of postnatal supplementation with various sources of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Higher visual acuity after DHA supplementation is a consistent finding in infants born preterm. For infants born at term, the results are less consistent and are better explained by differences in sensitivity of the visual acuity test (electrophysiologic tests being more sensitive than subjective tests) or by differences in the amount of DHA included in the experimental formula. Differences in the sensitivity of the test may also be relevant in discussions of whether the effects of DHA on visual acuity are transient or persistent. A smaller number of studies have attempted to study the effects of DHA on cognitive development. The major focus of this article is to review the types of methods that have been used to evaluate the effects of DHA on cognition and to provide the rationale for measures that are a better conceptual fit. Research is needed (1) to probe the effects of variable DHA exposure on infant and child development, (2) to measure outcomes that better relate to preschool and school-age cognitive function, and (3) to reinforce, and in some cases demonstrate, links between specific infant and preschool measures of cognitive development. We strongly encourage collaborations with developmental cognitive neuroscientists to facilitate these research goals.

Predicting Individual Differences in Recall by Infants Born Preterm and Full Term.

A heterogeneous sample of infants with preterm histories and infants born full term participated in a study of declarative memory and rate of encoding, as measured in an imitation task and an examining task, respectively. Here we report the comparisons of the performances of infants born very preterm (27-34 weeks gestation) and moderately preterm (35-37 weeks gestation) to infants born full term (38-41 weeks gestation) and tested at 12 months corrected age (from due date). Lower levels of recall were seen among the infants born very preterm. Rate of encoding, weeks gestation, and score on the Mental Development Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were tested as possible sources of individual differences in recall. Rate of encoding and MDI predicted delayed ordered recall. Implications for early detection of cognitive difficulties in children with preterm histories are discussed.

Blueberry Consumption Affects Serum Uric Acid Concentrations in Older Adults in a Sex-Specific Manner.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and may protect against disease. Uric acid accounts for about 50% of the antioxidant properties in humans. Elevated levels of serum uric acid (SUA) or hyperuricemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim was to determine the effect of blueberries on SUA in older adults. Participants (n = 133, 65-80 years) experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were randomized in a double-blind 6-month clinical trial to either blueberry or placebo. A reference group with no MCI received no treatment. The mean (SD) SUA at baseline were 5.45 (0.9), 6.4 (1.3) and 5.8 (1.4) mg/dL in reference, placebo, and treatment groups, respectively. Baseline SUA was different in men and women (6.25 (1.1) vs. 5.35 (1.1), p = 0.001). During the first three months, SUA decreased in the blueberry group and was significantly different from the placebo group in both men and women (p < 0.0003). Sex-specific differences became apparent after 3 months, when only men showed an increase in SUA in the blueberry group and not in the placebo (p = 0.0006) between 3 and 6 months. At 6 months SUA had rebounded in both men and women and returned to baseline levels. Baseline SUA was correlated with CVD risk factors, waist circumference and triglycerides (p < 0.05), but differed by sex. Overall, 6 m SUA changes were negatively associated with triglycerides in men, but not in women. Group-wise association between 6 m SUA changes and CVD risk factors showed associations with diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in women of the Blueberry group but not in men or any sex in the placebo group. In summary, blueberries may affect SUA and its relationship with CVD risk in a sex-specific manner.

Synergistic Effects of Human Milk Nutrients in the Support of Infant Recognition Memory: An Observational Study.

The aim was to explore the relation of human milk lutein; choline; and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with recognition memory abilities of six-month-olds. Milk samples obtained three to four months postpartum were analyzed for fatty acids, lutein, and choline. At six months, participants were invited to an electrophysiology session. Recognition memory was tested with a 70-30 oddball paradigm in a high-density 128-lead event-related potential (ERP) paradigm. Complete data were available for 55 participants. Data were averaged at six groupings (Frontal Right; Frontal Central; Frontal Left; Central; Midline; and Parietal) for latency to peak, peak amplitude, and mean amplitude. Difference scores were calculated as familiar minus novel. Final regression models revealed the lutein X free choline interaction was significant for the difference in latency scores at frontal and central areas (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001; respectively). Higher choline levels with higher lutein levels were related to better recognition memory. The DHA X free choline interaction was also significant for the difference in latency scores at frontal, central, and midline areas (p < 0.01; p < 0.001; p < 0.05 respectively). Higher choline with higher DHA was related to better recognition memory. Interactions between human milk nutrients appear important in predicting infant cognition, and there may be a benefit to specific nutrient combinations.

Genetic and epigenetic transgenerational implications related to omega-3 fatty acids. Part II: maternal FADS2 rs174575 genotype and DNA methylation predict toddler cognitive performance.

Maternal transfer of fatty acids is important to fetal brain development. The prenatal environment may differentially affect the substrates supporting declarative memory abilities, as the level of fatty acids transferred across the placenta may be affected by the maternal fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) rs174575 single nucleotide polymorphism. In this study, we hypothesized that toddler and maternal rs174575 genotype and FADS2 promoter methylation would be related to the toddlers' declarative memory performance. Seventy-one 16-month-old toddlers participated in an imitation paradigm designed to test immediate and long-term declarative memory abilities. FADS2 rs174575 genotype was determined and FADS2 promoter methylation was quantified from blood by bisulfite pyrosequencing for the toddlers and their natural mothers. Toddlers of GG mothers at the FADS2 rs174575 single nucleotide polymorphism did not perform as well on memory assessments as toddlers of CC or CG mothers when controlling for plasma α-linolenic acid and child genotype. Toddler methylation status was related to immediate memory performance, whereas maternal methylation status was related to delayed memory performance. Thus, prenatal experience and maternal FADS2 status have a pervasive, long-lasting influence on the brain development of the offspring, but as the postnatal environment becomes more primary, the offsprings' own biology begins to have an effect.

Genetic and epigenetic transgenerational implications related to omega-3 fatty acids. Part I: maternal FADS2 genotype and DNA methylation correlate with polyunsaturated fatty acid status in toddlers: an exploratory analysis.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in toddlers is regulated by a complex network of interacting factors. The contribution of maternal genetic and epigenetic makeup to this milieu is not well understood. In a cohort of mothers and toddlers 16 months of age (n = 65 mother-child pairs), we investigated the association between maternal genetic and epigenetic fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) profiles and toddlers' n-6 and n-3 fatty acid metabolism. FADS2 rs174575 variation and DNA methylation status were interrogated in mothers and toddlers, as well as food intake and plasma fatty acid concentrations in toddlers. A multivariate fit model indicated that maternal rs174575 genotype, combined with DNA methylation, can predict α-linolenic acid plasma concentration in all toddlers and arachidonic acid concentrations in boys. Arachidonic acid intake was predictive for its plasma concentration in girls, whereas intake of 3 major n-3 species (eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids) were predictive for their plasma concentrations in boys. FADS2 genotype and DNA methylation in toddlers were not related to plasma concentrations or food intakes, except for CpG8 methylation. Maternal FADS2 methylation was a predictor for the boys' α-linolenic acid intakes. This exploratory study suggests that maternal FADS2 genetic and epigenetic status could be related to toddlers' polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism.

Omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio and higher-order cognitive functions in 7- to 9-y-olds: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Biochemical and behavioral evidence has suggested that the ratio of n-6 (omega-6) to n-3 (omega-3) could be an important predictor of executive function abilities in children. OBJECTIVE: We determined the relation between the ratio of n-6 to n-3 and cognitive function in children. We hypothesized that children with lower ratios of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids would perform better on tests of planning and working memory. DESIGN: Seventy 7- to 9-y-old children completed three 24-h diet recalls and a subset of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Assessment Battery. Parents provided information on their demographics and children's diet histories. RESULTS: Mean n-3 and mean n-6 intakes were related to the mean time spent on each action taken in the planning problem. The ratio of n-6 to n-3 significantly predicted performance on the working memory and planning problems. There was a significant interaction between the ratio and fatty acid intake; when children had high ratios, a higher intake of n-3 fatty acids predicted a better performance on the planning task than when children had lower n-3 intakes. When children had low ratios, a lower intake of n-3 and lower intake of n-6 predicted better performance than when intakes were higher. CONCLUSIONS: The relation between cognitive abilities and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 may be mediated by an enzymatic affinity for n-3 fatty acids. The ratio of n-6 to n-3 should be considered an important factor in the study of fatty acids and cognitive development. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01823419.

Elicited Imitation Performance at 20 Months Predicts Memory Abilities in School-Age Children.

Over the first decade of life there are marked improvements in mnemonic abilities. An important question from both a theoretical and applied perspective is the extent of continuity in the nature of memory over this period. The present longitudinal investigation examined declarative memory during the transition from toddlerhood to school-age using both experimental and standardized assessments. Results indicate significant associations between immediate nonverbal recall at 20 months (measured by elicited imitation) and immediate verbal and nonverbal memory (measured by standardized and laboratory-based tasks) at 6 years in typically developing children. Regression models revealed this association was specific, as measures of language abilities and temperament were not predictive of later memory performance. These findings suggest both continuity and specificity within the declarative memory system over the first years of life. Theoretical and applied implications of these findings are discussed.