SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME - EFFECT OF BREAST AND FORMULA FEEDING ON FRONTAL-CORTEX AND BRAIN-STEM LIPID-COMPOSITION

Methodology: Docosahexaenoic acid levels were measured by gas chromato graphy in samples of frontal lobe and brainstem taken from 28 and 26 i nfants, respectively, who had died of sudden infant death syndrome (SI DS). Results: Significantly higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid were present in the frontal lobe tissues derived from the 13 breast fed in fants (age range = 3.3-36.3 weeks; mean 15.9+/-11.3 weeks) compared to the 15 formula fed infants (age range = 6.9-47.7 weeks; mean 19.3+/-1 0.6 weeks); mean (+/-s.d.) levels were 8.5+/-1.1% and 7.6+/-0.8% of to tal fatty acids (P = 0.019). There was, however, no significant differ ence in brainstem docosahexaenoic acid levels between breast and formu la fed infants. Conclusions: Given these variable findings, further in vestigation of the relationship between dietary fatty acid intake and cerebral lipid levels may help to clarify whether different modes of f eeding have a role in the pathogenesis of SIDS.