Infant locomotive development and its association with adult blood pressure.

• Published in: European Journal of Pediatrics
• Main Authors: Pillas, Demetris, Kaakinen, Marika, Tzoulaki, Ioanna, Netuveli, Gopalakrishnan, Rodriguez, Alina, Fung, Erik, Tammelin, Tuija H, Blane, David, Millwood, Iona Y, Hardy, Rebecca, Sovio, Ulla, Pouta, Anneli, Hopstock, Laila Arnesdatter, Hartikainen, Anna-Liisa, Laitinen, Jaana, Vaara, Sarianna, Khan, Anokhi Ali, Chong, Raymond, Elliott, Paul, Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2014
• Subjects: Northern Finland
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2326-2; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24804637

Evidence from animal models suggests that locomotion and blood pressure share common neurophysiological regulatory systems. As a result of this common regulation, we hypothesized that the development of locomotion in human infants would be associated with blood pressure levels in adulthood. The study sample comprised 4,347 individuals with measures of locomotive and non-locomotive neuromotor development in infancy and adult blood pressure levels within a longitudinal birth cohort study, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Later development in all three stages of locomotive development during infancy was associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels at age 31. For age of walking without support, 0.34 (95 % CI 0.07 to 0.60)-mm Hg higher SBP and 0.38 (95 % CI 0.15 to 0.62)-mm Hg higher DBP were estimated for each month of later achievement (P = 0.012 for SBP; P = 0.001 for DBP). No association was identified for non-locomotive neuromotor development.