Nutrition and the developing brain: nutrient priorities and measurement

摘要: Nutrients and growth factors regulate brain development during fetal early postnatal life. The rapidly developing is more vulnerable to nutrient insufficiency yet also demonstrates its greatest degree of plasticity. Certain nutrients have greater effects on than do others. These include protein, energy, certain fats, iron, zinc, copper, iodine, selenium, vitamin A, choline, folate. effect any deficiency or overabundance will be governed by the principle timing, dose, duration. ability detect specific deficiencies dependent knowing which area preferentially affected having neurologic assessments that tap into functions those areas. As examples, protein-energy malnutrition causes both global deficits, are testable general developmental testing, area-specific hippocampus cortex. Iron alters myelination, monoamine neurotransmitter synthesis, hippocampal energy metabolism in neonatal period. Assessments these could tests for speed processing (myelination), changes motor affect (monoamines), recognition memory (hippocampus). Zinc autonomic nervous system regulation cerebellar development. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids important synaptogenesis, membrane function, and, potentially, myelination. Overall, circuit-specific behavioral neuroimaging being developed use progressively younger infants accurately assess deficits while subject deficient after recovery from deficiency.