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Early nutritional influences on brain regions related to processing speed in children born preterm: A secondary

Nicole Bando1,2, Julie Sato3,4,5, Marlee M Vandewouw4,5,6,7

  • 1Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

JPEN. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
|July 15, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Early nutrition impacts preterm infant development. Mother's milk, not macronutrients, was linked to greater gray matter volume, supporting processing speed in very low birth weight children.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Processing speed is crucial for intelligence and executive functions.
  • Preterm-born children often experience delays in these cognitive areas.
  • The role of early nutrition in supporting processing speed development in preterm infants is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between early-life nutrition and brain gray matter volumes supporting processing speed in preterm-born children.
  • To determine if macronutrient intake or mother's milk consumption influences the structural underpinnings of processing speed.

Main Methods:

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to assess brain gray matter volumes in 40 five-year-old children born preterm with very low birth weight.
  • The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-IV Processing Speed Index was administered.
  • Early nutritional intake (macronutrients and mother's milk) was prospectively collected in the first postnatal month.

Main Results:

  • Mother's milk intake was positively associated with greater gray matter volumes in key brain regions, including total cortical gray matter, cingulate gyri, and occipital gyri.
  • Early macronutrient intakes showed no significant association with gray matter volumes.
  • Gestational age averaged 27.8 weeks, with 45% of participants being male.

Conclusions:

  • Early postnatal mother's milk intake is positively associated with gray matter volumes related to processing speed in preterm children.
  • Macronutrient intake in the first month did not show a similar association.
  • These findings suggest mother's milk may support the structural development of processing speed in preterm infants, warranting further investigation.
Abstract

Keywords:
brain developmentnutritionpretermprocessing speedvery low birth weight

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