NEURODEVELOPMENTAL QUOTIENT OF HEALTHY TERM INFANTS AT 4 MONTHS AND FEEDING PRACTICE - THE ROLE OF LONG-CHAIN POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS

A direct fluence of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC -PUFA) on the developmental quotient (DQ) of the healthy term infant r emains unexplored. To test this hypothesis, we designed a prospective study of three types of diet. Twenty-nine infants received a LC-PUFA-s upplemented formula, 31 received a standard infant formula, and 30 inf ants were breastfed exclusively. Neurodevelopmental response was measu red by the Brunet-Lezine psychomotor development test at 4 mo. The fat ty acid status was also assessed among three diet subgroups (59 subjec ts) at 4 mo. Formula-fed infants who received LC-PUFA supplementation scored significantly higher (p < 0.01) on the Brunet-Lezine scale than infants who received the standard formula. Breast-fed infants also pe rformed better than those fed the standard formula. Arachidonic acid a nd docosahexaenoic acid levels in circulating lipids and erythrocyte p hospholipids were higher among breast-fed infants and among the group fed the arachidonic- and docosahexaenoic acid-supplemented formula. Th ese findings are suggestive that formula supplementation with one or b oth of these fatty acids can benefit term infants in neurodevelopmenta l performance.