Nutrition and neurodevelopment in children: focus on NUTRIMENTHE project

Abstract

There is growing evidence that early nutrition affects later cognitive performance. The idea that the diet of mothers, infants, and children could affect later mental performance has major implications for public health practice and policy development and for our understanding of human biology as well as for food product development, economic progress, and future wealth creation. To date, however, much of the evidence is from animal, retrospective studies and short-term nutritional intervention studies in humans. The positive effect of micronutrients on health, especially of pregnant women eating well to maximise their child's cognitive and behavioural outcomes, is commonly acknowledged. The current evidence of an association between gestational nutrition and brain development in healthy children is more credible for folate, n-3 fatty acids, and iron. Recent findings highlight the fact that single-nutrient supplementation is less adequate than supplementation with more complex formulae. However, the optimal content of micronutrient supplementation and whether there is a long-term impact on child's neurodevelopment needs to be investigated further. Moreover, it is also evident that future studies should take into account genetic heterogeneity when evaluating nutritional effects and also nutritional recommendations. The objective of the present review is to provide a background and update on the current knowledge linking nutrition to cognition and behaviour in children, and to show how the large collaborative European Project NUTRIMENTHE is working towards this aim.

An Observational Study to Evaluate Associations Between Low-Level Gestational Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides and Cognition During Early Childhood

“…It is possible that mothers with higher socioeconomic status during pregnancy may consume a more nutrient-rich diet. It has been shown that maternal nutritional status in pregnancy can influence fetal brain development, and it is possible that a similar mechanistic model is occurring within our cohort and potentially influencing our results (26). It is worth noting that other studies have found significant positive associations that were contrary to their a priori hypotheses with regard to organophosphate pesticides and neurodevelopment in infants and young children (6,27).…”

The Interplay between DNA Methylation, Folate and Neurocognitive Development

“…Not only does folate restriction affect neural tube closure, but folate and related B-vitamins are thought to be fundamental in regulating later neurodevelopment [37][38][39]. However, evidence in the literature is sparse with regard to the effects on specific areas of brain function, such as cognition, motor skills and memory [40] with the majority of evidence existing from observational and animal studies.…”

Neurodevelopment: The Impact of Nutrition and Inflammation During Preconception and Pregnancy in Low-Resource Settings

“…22 Third, vitamin B 12 contributes to DNA methylation and epinephrine synthesis, along with methionine synthesis. 21,23 Fourth, zinc is important for neuron formation, migration, and synapse generation, 24 and, if given as a supplement, can reduce the risk of preterm birth. 25 Fifth, tryptophan is an essential amino acid needed for the formation of neurotransmitters.…”