Open AccessZinc deficiency and child development
Author(s) -
Maureen M. Black
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
american journal of clinical nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.608
H-Index - 336
eISSN - 1938-3207
pISSN - 0002-9165
DOI - 10.1093/ajcn/68.2.464s
Subject(s) - zinc deficiency (plant disorder) , cognition , developmental psychology , context (archaeology) , psychology , child development , effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance , neuroscience , medicine , micronutrient , biology , pathology , paleontology
Zinc is a trace metal that is present in the brain and contributes to its structure and function. Limited evidence from both animal and human studies suggests that zinc deficiency may lead to delays in cognitive development. Although the mechanisms linking zinc deficiency with cognitive development are unclear, it appears that zinc deficiency may lead to deficits in children's neuropsychologic functioning, activity, or motor development, and thus interfere with cognitive performance. In this article a model is presented that incorporates the influence of social context and the caregiving environment and suggests that the relation between zinc deficiency and cognitive development may vary by age in children and may be mediated by neuropsychologic functioning, activity, and motor development. Suggestions for further research are provided.
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