Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and visual function in preterm infants

A Leaf1, A Gosbell, L McKenzie

  • 1Newborn Services, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.

Early Human Development
|July 5, 1996
PubMed
Summary

This study found no significant difference in retinal maturation between preterm infants fed varying amounts of breast milk. However, subtle links between fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and visual function were observed.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Measuring and Modeling Air Pollution and Noise Exposure Near Unconventional Oil and Gas Development in Colorado.

Research report (Health Effects Institute)·2026
Same author

High Incidence of Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis After Radiotherapy for Oral Cavity: Time for Rebalancing Risks and Benefits.

Clinical oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain))·2026
Same author

Talking to Experts: Diabetes and Frailty in Older Adults.

The journal of nutrition, health & aging..·2023
Same author

Unclassified white matter disorders: A diagnostic journey requiring close collaboration between clinical and laboratory services.

European journal of medical genetics·2022
Same author

Gait Speed and Evolution of Verbal Fluencies in Frail or Prefrail Older People with Type 2 Diabetes. A Pilot Study.

The journal of nutrition, health & aging·2021
Same author

Guidelines for the management of diabetes in care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association·2020

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal nutrition
  • Ophthalmology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Premature infants often have altered fatty acid metabolism.
  • Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is crucial for retinal development.
  • The impact of dietary DHA on visual maturation in preterm infants requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between dietary intake of breast milk, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA) with retinal function in preterm infants.
  • To assess whether increased dietary DHA enhances retinal maturation in premature infants.
  • To evaluate visual acuity at corrected ages.

Main Methods:

  • Electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded in 18 preterm infants at 40 weeks post-conceptual age (PCA).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Plasma and red blood cell phospholipid fatty acid composition was analyzed.
  • Dietary intake, particularly breast milk percentage, was meticulously recorded.

    • Main Results:

    • A strong correlation was found between breast milk intake and DHA levels in plasma and red blood cells.
    • No significant difference in retinal sensitivity was observed between infants receiving >50% or <50% breast milk.
    • Positive correlations were noted between DHA and scotopic b-wave implicit time, and between arachidonic acid (AA) and rod ERG amplitude.

    Conclusions:

    • Increased dietary DHA did not enhance retinal maturation in this cohort of preterm infants.
    • Subtle relationships exist between long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and visual function.
    • All infants demonstrated age-appropriate visual development at follow-up.