Maternal diet during pregnancy affects brain structure and language abilities in adult offspring

A study led by Klára Marečková from CEITEC Masaryk University shows that a mother’s diet during pregnancy can influence the development of the cerebral cortex and the verbal intelligence of her child well into adulthood. The research suggests that a healthier, anti-inflammatory diet may support optimal brain development and language abilities in future generations.

Researchers from CEITEC Masaryk University (MUNI), in collaboration with international partners, found that maternal diet during pregnancy has a long-term impact on brain structure and verbal intelligence in offspring. A key factor is the so-called Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), which reflects the extent to which a diet promotes or reduces inflammation in the body.

In the study, researchers analysed data from 179 young adults born in South Moravia in the early 1990s. Using magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological assessments, they examined the relationship between the mothers’ dietary habits during pregnancy and their children’s IQ and brain structure. The results revealed that a more pro-inflammatory maternal diet was associated with lower verbal IQ scores in offspring at the age of 28–30.

CEITEC: Prenatal DII and its association with gyrification of the left occipitotemporal area in the early 20s

“Our findings suggest that a mother’s nutrition during pregnancy can have surprisingly long-lasting effects on her child’s brain development—reaching into their thirties. The most pronounced impact was on verbal abilities, which are essential for communication, education, and career success,” said first author Klára Marečková from CEITEC MUNI.

The study, published in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, also described how a pro-inflammatory diet during pregnancy was linked to changes in cortical gyrification— the degree of folding of the cerebral cortex. This process reflects brain development during the prenatal and early postnatal period. The study found these structural brain changes to be more prominent in men, particularly in areas associated with language comprehension and memory.

CEITEC: Prenatal DII and its association with gyrification in the left angular gyrus and right anterior portion of the middle and inferior temporal gyrus in the late 20s

According to the authors, these brain structure alterations help explain why children of mothers with more inflammatory diets scored lower on verbal IQ tests. In other words, the mother’s diet left a lasting “imprint” on the child’s brain structure, which in turn influenced their language abilities in adulthood.

“These findings suggest that promoting anti-inflammatory nutrition during pregnancy could serve as a powerful public health tool to support the cognitive development of future generations,” added co-author Samantha Dawson from Deakin University, Australia.