Atopic Dermatitis and Cognition in Children: A UK-Based Birth Cohort Study
TLDR Childhood atopic dermatitis does not significantly affect general cognition.
A study of 15,645 individuals from a UK-based birth cohort examined the effects of childhood atopic dermatitis (AD) on general cognition. AD was assessed 11 times from 6 months to 14 years old, and cognition was measured at ages 1.5, 4, 8, and 15.5 years using various intelligence scales. The study found no significant associations between AD status and IQ scores across all measures. However, at 8 years old, children with active-moderate/severe AD had slightly lower Performance IQ, and those with inactive AD had slightly higher Verbal IQ. Overall, the study did not find clear associations between AD and general cognition, suggesting that any observed differences may be due to error. Further research is needed to explore the effects of AD on specific cognitive functions beyond IQ.
