HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jensen, C. L Articles by Heird, W. C Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jensen, C. L Articles by Heird, W. C Agricola Articles by Jensen, C. L Articles by Heird, W. C

Effects of maternal docosahexaenoic acid intake on visual function and neurodevelopment in breastfed term infants^1,2,3,4

¹ From the US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CLJ, JKF, and WCH) and the Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics (RGV, JCR, MRT, and AML), Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; the Hermann Eye Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX (TCP and YLZ); and the Dean A McGee Eye Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK (REA)

Background: Normal brain and visual development is thought to require exogenous docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n–3) intake, but the amount needed is debatable. Because the supplementation of breastfeeding mothers with DHA increases the DHA content of their infants’ plasma lipids, we hypothesized that it might also improve brain or visual function in the infants.

Objective: The objective was to determine the effect of DHA supplementation of breastfeeding mothers on neurodevelopmental status and visual function in the recipient infant.

Design: Breastfeeding women received capsules containing either a high-DHA algal oil (200 mg DHA/d) or a vegetable oil (no DHA) for 4 mo after delivery. Outcome variables included the fatty acid pattern of maternal plasma phospholipid and milk lipids 4 mo postpartum, the fatty acid pattern of plasma phospholipids and visual function in infants at 4 and 8 mo of age, and neurodevelopmental indexes of the infants at 12 and 30 mo of age.

Results: Milk lipid and infant plasma phospholipid DHA contents of the supplemented and control groups were 75% and 35% higher, respectively, at 4 mo postpartum. However, neither the neurodevelopmental indexes of the infants at 12 mo of age nor the visual function at 4 or 8 mo of age differed significantly between groups. In contrast, the Bayley Psychomotor Development Index, but not the Mental Development Index, of the supplemented group was higher (P < 0.01) at 30 mo of age.

Conclusion: DHA supplementation of breastfeeding mothers results in higher infant plasma phospholipid DHA contents during supplementation and a higher Bayley Psychomotor Development Index at 30 mo of age but results in no other advantages either at or before this age.

Key Words: Maternal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation • infant visual function • infant neurodevelopmental indexes • fatty acid pattern of milk lipid • infant plasma phospholipid fatty acid pattern • Bayley Scales of Infant Development

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. S. Ryan and E. B. Nelson Assessing the Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Cognitive Functions in Healthy, Preschool Children: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study Clinical Pediatrics, May 1, 2008; 47(4): 355 - 362. [Abstract] [PDF]

				V. P Carnielli, M. Simonato, G. Verlato, I. Luijendijk, M. De Curtis, P. J. Sauer, and P. E Cogo Synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in preterm newborns fed formula with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2007; 86(5): 1323 - 1330. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J T. Brenna, B. Varamini, R. G Jensen, D. A Diersen-Schade, J. A Boettcher, and L. M Arterburn Docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid concentrations in human breast milk worldwide Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2007; 85(6): 1457 - 1464. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Innis Dietary (n-3) Fatty Acids and Brain Development J. Nutr., April 1, 2007; 137(4): 855 - 859. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Schack-Nielsen and K. F. Michaelsen Advances in Our Understanding of the Biology of Human Milk and Its Effects on the Offspring J. Nutr., February 1, 2007; 137(2): 503S - 510S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L Jensen Effects of n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2006; 83(6): S1452 - 1457S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J Martin, J. G Woo, S. R Geraghty, M. Altaye, B. S Davidson, W. Banach, L. M Dolan, G. M Ruiz-Palacios, and A. L Morrow Adiponectin is present in human milk and is associated with maternal factors Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2006; 83(5): 1106 - 1111. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]