VISUAL-EVOKED POTENTIALS AND DIETARY LONG-CHAIN POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS IN PRETERM INFANTS

The influence of dietary long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCP) s upply, and especially of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on evoked potenti al maturation, was studied in 58 healthy preterm infants using hash vi sual evoked potentials (VEPs), hash electroretinography (ERG), and bra instem acoustic evoked potentials (BAEPs) at 52 weeks of postconceptio nal age. At the same time, the fatty acid composition of red blood cel l membranes was examined. The infants were fed on breast milk (n=12), a preterm formula supplemented with LCP (PF-LCP)(n=21), or a tradition al preterm formula (PF)(n=25). In the breast milk and PF-LCP groups th e morphology and latencies of the waves that reflect the visual projec ting system were similar; in the PF group the morphology was quite dif ferent and the wave latencies were significantly longer. This could me an that the maturation pattern of VEPs in preterm infants who did not receive LCP was slower. Moreover, a higher level of erythrocyte LCP, e specially DHA, was found in breast milk and PF-LCP groups compared wit h the PF group. ERG and BAEP recordings were the same in all three gro ups. These results suggest that a well balanced LCP supplement in pret erm formulas can positively influence the maturation of visual evoked potentials in preterm infants when breast milk is not available.