叶酸是孕妇和幼儿非常重要的营养成分。瑞典研究人员发现，叶酸摄入量与孩子的学习能力也有关系，摄入足够的叶酸可提高学习成绩，而叶酸摄入量过低，会影响孩子的学习效果。
瑞典厄勒布鲁大学医院的研究人员11日在《儿科》杂志网络版上撰文说，他们收集了386名15岁的儿童叶酸摄入量的数据，发现与叶酸摄入量最低的孩子相比，叶酸摄入量最高的孩子们往往在学校的学习成绩较好。这一结论已排除了其他因素的影响，如学习环境、教育方法和父母教育程度等。
研究人员指出，新发现再次证明了叶酸对孩子智力发展起着重要作用，家长和学校应该更加关注孩子的饮食中是否有足够的叶酸。不过目前还不能认为，为了提高孩子的学习成绩，就必须给他们补充大量的叶酸。
专家指出，叶酸在大脑发育中起着非常关键的作用，孩子叶酸摄入量不足将影响神经认知功能的发育，也会提高孩子患自闭症的风险。
生物探索推荐英文原文：
Folic Acid Use in Pregnancy and the Development of Atopy, Asthma, and Lung Function in Childhood
BACKGROUND: Recently, folic acid supplementation during pregnancy was implicated as a potential risk factor for atopic diseases in childhood.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether folic acid supplementation and higher intracellular folic acid (ICF) levels during pregnancy increase the risk of childhood atopic diseases.
METHODS: In the KOALA Birth Cohort Study (N = 2834), data on eczema and wheeze were collected by using repeated questionnaires at 3, 7, 12, and 24 months, 4 to 5 years, and 6 to 7 years after delivery. Atopic dermatitis and total and specific immunoglobulin E levels were determined at age 2 years and asthma and lung function at age 6 to 7 years. We defined folic acid use as stand-alone and/or multivitamin supplements according to the period of use before and/or during pregnancy. ICF levels were determined in blood samples taken at ∼35 weeks of pregnancy (n = 837). Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted, with generalized estimating equation models for repeated outcomes.
RESULTS: Maternal folic acid supplement use during pregnancy was not associated with increased risk of wheeze, lung function, asthma, or related atopic outcomes in the offspring. Maternal ICF level in late pregnancy was inversely associated with asthma risk at age 6 to 7 years in a dose-dependent manner (P for trend = .05).
CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not confirm any meaningful association between folic acid supplement use during pregnancy and atopic diseases in the offspring. Higher ICF levels in pregnancy tended, at most, toward a small decreased risk for developing asthma.
