Spanish researchers from the Universidad de Rovira y Virgilias have studied the effects of breastfeeding (BF) in infancy on children's cognitive abilities later in life. The study is published in the scientific publication International Journal of Early Childhood (IJEC). The team focused on minors aged 4-5 years old. The researchers used data from 613 children born between 2013 and 2014 from their parents. The preschoolers underwent an intelligence assessment. The results showed that children who were breastfed from one to eight months performed slightly better on several measures of cognitive ability compared to peers who were not breastfed. The kids who received breastfeeding had higher intelligence quotient (IQ), better working memory and non-verbal cognitive abilities, and higher scores on a cognitive ability index. The discovery suggests that breastfeeding itself plays a crucial role in improving cognitive development, beyond the effects of family environment or maternal intelligence.