Research Projects

Diabetes Mellitus (DMM) is a significant health issue in India, with over 71 million patients in 2015 and one of the highest prevalences of common mental disorders in adults. Indians develop diabetes at a younger age and lower BMI compared to Europeans, leading to high prevalence of diabetes during pregnancy in Indian mothers. Intra-uterine exposure to hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and pro-inflammatory mediators can affect fetal hippocampal development and impair memory function. Diabetes during pregnancy is also associated with perinatal and neonatal complications, including neural tube defects, other congenital abnormalities, premature deliveries, perinatal asphyxia, and cerebral palsy. Adverse intrauterine exposures, such as maternal diabetes, can impact long-term cognitive outcomes, reflecting in the developmental potential of individuals and human capital. A study aims to examine cognitive achievements, neurocognitive performance, scholastic achievement, temperament, behavioral disorders in ODM children, adolescents, and young adults of Type 1, Type 2, and GDM mothers compared to ONDM. The study will use a cohort of offspring born in diabetic pregnancies (ODM) and non-diabetic pregnancies (ONDM) in KEM Hospital Pune from 1986 to 2015. The study will use standard techniques to measure body size, composition, glycemia, cardiovascular risk factors, and other factors. Confounders will be measured using a semistructured proforma, the Standard of Living Index, and a three-generation genogram. The home environment will be assessed using the Short Form Home-SF. Cognitive achievement outcomes will be compared between the two groups using the Analysis of Covariance ANCOVA, controlling for potential covariates.