Early serum n-6 and n-3 fatty acid profile and preschool-age neurodevelopment

Evidence suggests that adequate supplies of omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) are beneficial for brain development, but serum data are scarce. We explored correlations between early serum proportions of n-6 and n-3 FAs and neurodevelopment at 4 years of age.

Serum proportions for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), total n-3 and the n-6/n-3 ratio were analysed from umbilical-cord, at 4 and 12 months for 119 children born vaginally at full-term at the Halland Hospital Halmstad, Sweden, in 2008-2009. Neurodevelopmental testing at 4 years of age included the complete Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3). Pearson correlation analysis was conducted for WPPSI-III and Spearman's rho for ASQ-3 followed by forward-selection regression models for significant correlations.

Higher proportions of DHA, n-3 FAs and low n-6/n-3 ratio at birth correlated with higher gross motor scores at age 4 (Spearman's rho, 0.278, 0.292 and -0.261, p < 0.05). Low n-6/n-3 ratio at 12 months correlated with higher full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) and higher verbal IQ (-0.279 and -0.269, p < 0.05), at age 4.

In this exploratory study, elevated serum n-3 FAs and low n-6/n-3 ratio during the brain growth spurt show statistical correlations with higher neurodevelopmental scores with respect to motor control, verbal abilities, and overall cognition at 4 years of age, with small-to moderate effect sizes.