Bengaluru: From the womb to adolescence, early-life experiences leave measurable imprints on the brain, shaping mental health, cognition and disease risks decades later. That was the focus of Param (Pathways to Resilience and Mental Health)-Connect, held at Nimhans Monday, which brought together leading neurodevelopment cohorts from across India.
Key Findings from Long-Running Studies
Researchers presented findings from long-running studies in Mysuru, Pune, Vellore and Adivasi regions of Chamarajanagar, among others, showing how nutrition, environment and caregiving interact to influence brain development.
"For the first time, we are able to move from group-level findings to predicting outcomes at the individual level," said Dr Vivek Benegal, a retired professor of psychiatry, Nimhans, highlighting how large datasets and brain mapping tools are helping identify early deviations linked to mental illness. He added that early adversity and socioeconomic inequality significantly alter brain development, but protective factors such as supportive school environments can make a difference.
Impact of Maternal Health
Several studies underscored how risks begin even before birth. "We found that maternal metabolic health plays a major role," said Dr G V Krishnaveni, senior scientist at the Epidemiology Research Unit, CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, presenting data from the Mysore cohorts. "Children born to diabetic mothers had higher adiposity, blood pressure and insulin resistance, with some already showing early signs of metabolic disease."
Speaking on similar lines, Dr Rishikesh Behere, a psychiatrist from Manoshanti in Pune, highlighted findings from the Pune Maternal Nutrition Study linking maternal nutrition to long-term brain outcomes. He noted that vitamin B12 deficiency, in particular, can have lasting effects on children's brain development, cognition and mental health.
"We found that children born to mothers with low vitamin B12 had poorer attention and executive function. More importantly, supplementation showed clear benefits; children whose mothers received B12 performed better cognitively even years later," he said. The findings come from one of India's longest-running intergenerational cohorts, tracking families for over two decades.
Vulnerable Populations and Social Risks
Newer cohort studies in vulnerable populations are also revealing complex social risks. Presenting data from an Adivasi birth cohort in Chamarajanagar, Yogish CB, assistant professor at the Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru, said substance use is extremely high in these communities and is affecting health across generations.
Using community-based developmental tools, researchers also reported that early warning signs are visible within the first year of life. Assessments show that developmental delays can be identified as early as 12 months, particularly among children exposed to multiple risk factors such as parental substance use.
