A new genetic test will help prevent a child with a low level of intelligence and conduct prompt medical intervention. This will solve the problem before it makes itself felt.
The researchers found that in children under seven years of age with a genetic disorder and low levels of thyroid hormones, the likelihood of having a low level of intelligence (IQ below 85) increases fourfold. This discovery makes it possible to diagnose and treat problems early in 30,000 children each year with standard hormonal medications, before it affects their academic success, the British newspaper The Telegraph writes.
If other studies confirm our findings, the genetic test can complement standard neonatal thyroid screening to identify children with low levels of intellectual development, ”said lead researcher Dr. Peter Taylor of the Cardiff University Medical School (UK).
It is worth noting that about 4 percent of the population have a gene mutation and low levels of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones are essential for the normal development of a child’s brain. Scientists observed a type 2 deiodinase enzyme that interacts with thyroid hormones in cells. Mutations in the gene that encodes this enzyme are also associated with diabetes and high blood pressure.
In their study, researchers studied the genetic data and intelligence level of 3,123 children under the age of seven. In children only with low thyroid hormone levels, an increase in the risk of having a low level of intelligence was not observed.
The results of the study were presented at a meeting of the British Society of Endocrinologists in Liverpool.
The article is based on materials .
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