The Auditory Working Memory of 13-15-Year-Old Adolescents Using Water with Varying Fluoride Concentrations from Selected Public Primary Schools in North Kajiado Sub County

Abstract

Water contributes significantly to the physiological functions in the in the human body. However, low fluoride doses have been reported to affect the central nervous system (CNS) without first causing the physical malformations of dental and skeletal fluorosis. Aims and objectives were to determine fluoride concentrations in water used by adolescents who were born and raised in North Kajiado and correlated it with their Auditory Working Memory Index (AWMI). The survey was cross-sectional and descriptive involving 269 school children aged 13-15 years. A purposeful sampling frame was used to select the schools. Fluoride in water was determined using the Fluoride Ion selective electrode. The AWM was assessed using the Wechsler intelligence scale for Children V (WISC-V) subtest. The mean auditory working index for the group was 111.5±22.6 while the boys had a mean AWMI of 111.46±22.37 and the girls 111.56±22.75. A comparison of the AWM of children from low (105.40±23.6) and high (99.52±23.2) fluoride schools and medium with high fluoride school had significant differences. The AWM for the children whose household water had low fluoride had higher AWMI 122.58±19.9 compared to those whose household had high fluoride in the with ANOVA F (2, 266) = 17.968, p≤.0001 and Tukey HSD for low and medium (m=-5.919, se=3.146, p=.145, low and high fluoride, (m=-18.559. se=3.124, p≤.001; medium and high (m=-12.640, se= 3.32, p≤.001 at 95% CL. In conclusion, low fluoride in the water seemed to enhance the AWM. However, the AWM declined with an increased in the fluoride concentration in water.