A groundbreaking study has revealed that asthma in children may be linked to memory deficits, particularly affecting episodic memory, which is crucial for recalling personal experiences and emotions. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, are the first to connect asthma with cognitive difficulties in young patients.

Conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis, the study analyzed data from over 2,000 children aged 9 and 10 with asthma, a condition that affects about 4.6 million children in the United States. Senior researcher Simona Ghetti, a psychology professor at the UC-Davis Center for Mind and Brain, emphasized the need to view asthma as more than just a respiratory issue. “This study underscores the importance of looking at asthma as a potential source of cognitive difficulty in children,” Ghetti said.

Lead researcher Nicholas Christopher-Hayes, a doctoral candidate at UC Davis, pointed out that childhood is a critical period for cognitive and memory development. "In children with asthma, that improvement may be slower," he explained. Children with asthma scored lower on tests of episodic memory, suggesting a link between the chronic respiratory condition and cognitive difficulties.

The study also observed nearly 500 children over two years, finding that those with earlier onset of asthma experienced a slower rate of memory development. Researchers speculate that inflammation from asthma or reduced oxygen supply during asthma attacks could impact brain regions like the hippocampus, which is vital for memory function. Animal studies have shown that common asthma medications can affect the hippocampus, further suggesting a possible link between asthma treatment and memory.

With previous research indicating that asthma in older adults may increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the team raised concerns about the potential long-term cognitive impact of childhood asthma. "Asthma might set children on a trajectory that could increase their risk to later develop something more serious like dementia as adults," Christopher-Hayes noted.

The findings call for further research to identify factors that may protect against or exacerbate cognitive risks in children with chronic conditions like asthma.