Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Ganglioside Extraction, Purification and Profiling
Published on: March 12, 2021
Toddler neurodevelopment is associated with ganglioside intake but not serum ganglioside
Shengjie Tan1, Ai Zhao2, Jian Zhang1
1Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Insights
Dietary ganglioside intake, not serum levels, is linked to toddler neurodevelopment. Specifically, GD3 and total gangliosides correlate with gross motor skills, while fruit intake relates to fine motor skills.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Gangliosides (GAs) are crucial for neural tissue and cell membranes.
- Understanding the role of GAs in early development is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between toddlers' neurodevelopment, dietary GA intake, and serum GA concentration.
- To explore specific dietary components like GD3 and seafood in relation to neurodevelopmental quotients (DQs).
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study in China involving 110 healthy toddlers (24-48 months).
- Dietary data collected via Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and 24-h recall.
- Serum GA analysis using HPLC-MS; neurodevelopment assessed with Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS).
Main Results:
- Dietary ganglioside GD3, total GA, and seafood intake positively associated with gross motor DQ.
- Inverse association found between fine motor DQ and fruit intake.
- No correlation observed between serum GA concentration and neurodevelopmental quotients.
Conclusions:
- Dietary GA intake, particularly from sources like GD3 and seafood, is associated with gross motor development in toddlers.
- Serum GA concentration does not appear to correlate with neurodevelopmental outcomes in this cohort.
- Further prospective research is recommended to confirm these findings and establish dietary recommendations for GAs.
Background And Objectives:
Gangliosides (GAs) are important components of neural tissue and cell membrane. This study aims to investigate the association between toddlers' neurodevelopment, dietary GA intake, and serum GA concentration.
Methods And Study Design:
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Beijing and Xuchang, Henan Province in China. 110 eligible healthy toddlers aged 24-48 months were recruited. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and 24-h dietary recall were used to collect dietary information. Blood serum samples obtained from participants were used to perform GA composition analysis with high-performance liquid chromatographymass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The neurodevelopment level was assessed with the Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS).
Results:
Dietary ganglioside GD3, total GA, and seafood intake were identified to be associated with the gross motor developmental quotient (DQ). An inverse association was revealed between the fine motor DQ and fruit intake. No correlation was detected between serum GA concentration and DQ.
Conclusions:
Dietary GA intake but not serum GA concentration is associated with neurodevelopment. Further prospective studies are needed to probe the relationships between the recommended dietary GA intake and toddlers.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Disorders of the Nervous Tissue
Homeostatic Imbalances:
Alzheimer's disease manifests as a gradual decline in memory and cognitive abilities, attributed to the buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.
Parkinson's disease arises from the...
01:07Teratogenicity