Motor, mental and behavioral developments in infancy are associated with fatty acid pattern in breast milk and plasma of premature infants

• Published in: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, 2012-04, Vol.86 (4), p.183-188
• Main Authors: Sabel, K.-G, Strandvik, B, Petzold, M, Lundqvist-Persson, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; age; Arachidonic acid; Bayley's Scales; brain; Breast Feeding; Child Development - physiology; Cognition - physiology; Docosahexaenoic acid; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Female; fish-oil; General movements; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant; Infant Behavior - physiology; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature - growth & development; Linoleic acid; Male; Mead acid; Milk, Human - chemistry; movements; Pediatrics; Pediatrik; pregnancy; preterm infants; Psychology; Psykologi; Samhällsvetenskap; Social Sciences; supplementation; term infants
• ISSN: 0952-3278; 1532-2823; 1532-2823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2012.02.008

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate any association between infants' early development and PUFA concentrations in early breast milk and infants' plasma phospholipids at 44 weeks gestational age. Fifty-one premature infants were included. The quality of general movement was assessed at 3 months, and motor, mental and behavioral development at 3, 6, 10 and 18 months corrected age using Bayley's Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II). Linoleic acid, the major n-6/n-3 FA ratios, Mead acid and the EFA deficiency index in early breast milk were negatively associated with development up to 18 months of age. DHA and AA, respectively, in infants' plasma phospholipids was positively, but the AA/DHA ratio negatively, associated with development from 6 to 18 months of age. Our data suggest that the commonly found high n-6 concentration in breast milk is associated with less favorable motor, mental and behavioral development up to 18 months of age.