Suchergebnisse

AbstractLong‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) have been shown to be necessary for early retinal and brain development, but long‐term cognitive benefits ofLCPUFAin infancy have not been definitively established. The present study sought to determine whetherLCPUFAsupplementation during the first year of life would result in group differences in behavior and event‐related potentials (ERPs) while performing a task requiring response inhibition (Go/No‐Go) at 5.5 years of age. As newborns, 69 children were randomly assigned to infant formulas containing either noLCPUFA(control) or formula with 0.64% of total fatty acids as arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4n6) and various concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n3) (0.32%, 0.64% or 0.96%) for the first 12 months of life. At 5.5 years of age, a task designed to test the ability to inhibit a prepotent response (Go/No‐Go) was administered, yielding both event‐related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral data. Behavioral measures did not differ between groups, although reaction times of supplemented children were marginally faster. Unsupplemented children had lower P2 amplitude than supplemented children to both Go and No‐Go conditions. N2 amplitude was significantly higher on No‐Go trials than Go trials, but only for supplemented children, resulting in a significant Group × Condition interaction. Topographical analysis of theERPs revealed that theLCPUFA‐supplemented group developed a novel period of synchronous activation (microstate) involving wider anterior brain activation around 200 ms; this microstate was not present in controls. These findings suggest thatLCPUFAsupplementation during the first 12 months of life exerts a developmental programming effect that is manifest in brain electrophysiology. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM2leg4sevs.

Recently adopted regulatory standards on infant and follow-on formula for the European Union stipulate that from February 2020 onwards, all such products marketed in the European Union must contain 20-50 mg omega-3 DHA (22:6n-3) per 100 kcal, which is equivalent to about 0.5-1% of fatty acids (FAs) and thus higher than typically found in human milk and current infant formula products, without the need to also include ω-6 arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n-6). This novel concept of infant formula composition has given rise to concern and controversy because there is no accountable evidence on its suitability and safety in healthy infants. Therefore, international experts in the field of infant nutrition were invited to review the state of scientific research on DHA and AA, and to discuss the questions arising from the new European regulatory standards. Based on the available information, we recommend that infant and follow-on formula should provide both DHA and AA. The DHA should equal at least the mean content in human milk globally (0.3% of FAs) but preferably reach 0.5% of FAs. Although optimal AA intake amounts remain to be defined, we strongly recommend that AA should be provided along with DHA. At amounts of DHA in infant formula up to ∼0.64%, AA contents should at least equal the DHA contents. Further well-designed clinical studies should evaluate the optimal intakes of DHA and AA in infants at different ages based on relevant outcomes.