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Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and neurological developmental outcome at 18 months in healthy term infants
H Bouwstra1, D A J Dijck-Brouwer, G Boehm
1Department of Neurology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Insights
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) supplementation in infant formula showed no lasting neurodevelopmental benefits at 18 months in healthy term infants. Early positive effects on neurological condition did not persist beyond 3 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Previous research indicated a short-term benefit of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) supplementation in infant formula on infant neurological condition at 3 months.
- The long-term impact of this supplementation on neurodevelopment in healthy term infants remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the observed beneficial effect of LC-PUFA supplementation on neurological condition persists until 18 months of age in healthy term infants.
- To evaluate the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants receiving LC-PUFA-supplemented formula compared to control and breastfed infants.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving three groups: control formula (CF), LC-PUFA-supplemented formula (LF), and breastfed (BF).
- Neurodevelopmental assessments at 18 months included the Hempel neurological examination and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development.
- Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the effect of feeding type, adjusting for potential confounders.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in clinical neurological condition, neurological optimality, fluency of motility, or mental and psychomotor developmental indices at 18 months.
- Multivariate analysis confirmed no discernible effect of feeding type on the neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months.
- Minor neurological dysfunction was observed in a small percentage of infants across all groups, with no significant group differences.
Conclusions:
- The study concludes that the initial beneficial neurodevelopmental effect of 2-month LC-PUFA supplementation in infant formula is not sustained up to 18 months of age.
- These findings suggest that LC-PUFA supplementation in formula may not provide long-term neurodevelopmental advantages for healthy term infants.
Aim:
Previously, we found a beneficial effect of 2 mo supplementation of infant formula with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) on neurological condition at 3 mo in healthy term infants. The aim of the present follow-up study was to evaluate whether the effect on neurological condition persists until 18 mo.
Methods:
A prospective, double-blind, randomized control study was conducted. Three groups were formed: a control (CF; n = 169), an LC-PUFA-supplemented (LF; n = 146) and a breastfed (BF; n = 159) group. Information on potential confounders was collected at enrolment. At the age of 18 mo, neurodevelopmental condition was assessed by the age-specific neurological examination of Hempel and the Bayley scales. The Hempel assessment resulted in a clinical neurological diagnosis, a total optimality score and a score on the fluency of motility. The Bayley scales resulted in mental and psychomotor developmental indices. Attrition at 18 mo was 5.5% and non-selective. Multivariate regression analyses were carried out to evaluate the effect of type of feeding while adjusting for confounders.
Results:
None of the children had developed cerebral palsy and 23 (CF: n = 8; LF: n = 10; BF: n = 5) showed minor neurological dysfunction. The groups did not show statistically significant differences in clinical neurological condition, neurological optimality score, fluency score, and the psychomotor and mental development indices. Multivariate analysis confirmed that there was no effect of type of feeding on neurological condition.
Conclusion:
This study indicates that the beneficial neurodevelopmental effect of 2 mo LC-PUFA supplementation in healthy term infants can not be detected at the age of 18 mo.
