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Instituto de Salud Carlos III; Agencia de Gestio d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca; European Union

Analysis of institutional authors

Cruz-Rodríguez JAuthorCanals-Sans JAuthorHernández-Martínez CAuthorVoltas-Moreso NAuthorArija VAuthor

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Prenatal vitamin B12 status and cognitive functioning in children at 4 years of age: The ECLIPSES Study

Publicated to:Maternal And Child Nutrition. 20 (1): e13580-e13580 - 2024-01-01 20(1), DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13580

Authors: Cruz-Rodriguez, Josue; Canals-Sans, Josefa; Hernandez-Martinez, Carmen; Voltas-Moreso, Nuria; Arija, Victoria

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Abstract

Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency has been associated with disturbed cognitive functioning in offspring at different ages during childhood. However, this association has not been explored in pre-school-age children. The objective of this study was to examine the association between maternal vitamin B12 levels at the beginning and end of pregnancy and cognitive functioning in their children at 4 years of age. This longitudinal prospective study included a subsample of pregnant women and their children aged 4 years (n = 249) who participated in the ECLIPSES Study conducted in the province of Tarragona, Spain, from 2013 to 2017. Maternal vitamin B12 concentrations were determined in the first and third trimesters, and sociodemographic, nutritional and psychological data were collected. The children's cognitive functioning was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV) and subtests of the Neuropsychological Assessment of Development (NEPSY-II). The multivariable models showed a significant relationship between vitamin B12 and the working memory index in the first trimester of the pregnancy but not in the third trimester. Children of mothers in the second vitamin B12 level tertile (314-413 pg/mL) (β = 6.468, 95% confidence interval [CI]: = 2.054, 10.882, p = 0.004) and third vitamin B12 level tertile (≥414 pg/mL) (β = 4.703, 95% CI: = 0.292, 9.114, p = 0.037) scored higher in the working memory index of the WPPSI-IV than the children of mothers with vitamin B12 levels in the first tertile (<314 pg/mL). Maintaining an adequate level of maternal vitamin B12 during early pregnancy contributes to improved performance in childhood working memory at 4 years of age.© 2023 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

brain-developmentchildren's healthcognitive functioningeclipses studyinfantneurodevelopmentnutritionpregnancyprenatal nutritionquestionnairevitamin b12 levelswomenworking-memoryChildChild developmentChild, preschoolChildren's healthCognitionCognitive functioningEclipses studyFemaleFolate-deficiencyHumansMothersPregnancyPrenatal nutritionProspective studiesVitamin b 12Vitamin b 12 deficiencyVitamin b12 levelsVitamins

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Maternal And Child Nutrition due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2024 there are still no calculated indicators, but in 2023, it was in position 61/114, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Nutrition & Dietetics.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from the Field Citation Ratio (FCR) of the Dimensions source, it yields a value of: 5.25, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: Dimensions Jun 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-06-08, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 5
  • Scopus: 5
  • Europe PMC: 1
  • OpenCitations: 2

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-06-08:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 34.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 32 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 3.35.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 5 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9331786

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Cruz Rodríguez, Josue) and Last Author (Arija Val, Maria Victoria).