Children who were exposed to COVID-19 in the womb, especially before the first vaccines became available, show a worrying trend. A new study reveals a 10% jump in cases of cognitive development delays among these five-year-olds. Their learning and memory abilities seem most affected. This groundbreaking research comes from the CSIC Institute of Neurosciences, working alongside the Miguel Hernández University of Elche.
The 20th week of pregnancy is a big deal for brain growth. It’s when the cerebral cortex, vital for learning, really starts to form. Neuroscientist Salvador MartÃnez, the study’s lead scientist, pointed this out. Researchers looked at human fetal brains anonymously donated after spontaneous abortions in 2020. They discovered the virus specifically harms cells in the brain’s memory center during this crucial period.
When a mother got COVID-19 and had to be hospitalized, the risk grew even more. Such severe infections increased the chance of the baby’s brain developing differently. This altered development could then be linked to conditions like autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit, or hyperactivity. These are important connections to understand.
MartÃnez explained that if the virus reached the developing fetal brain cells, it could predict a rise in intellectual disability or delayed brain development. He added, “We can start to see this now. Those children are over five years old. This is the age when that brain region is truly needed for them to learn properly.” This study helps us understand a hidden side effect from the early days of the pandemic.