Helland Ingrid B, Smith Lars, Blomén Birgitta, Saarem Kristin, Saugstad Ola D, Drevon Christian A
Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
Pediatrics. 2008 Aug;122(2):e472-9. doi: 10.1542/peds.2007-2762.
Arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) are essential for brain growth and cognitive development. We have reported that supplementing pregnant and lactating women with n-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids promotes higher IQ scores at 4 years of age as compared with maternal supplementation with n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In our present study, the children were examined at 7 years of age with the same cognitive tests as at 4 years of age. We also examined the relation between plasma fatty acid pattern and BMI in children, because an association between arachidonic acid and adipose tissue size has been suggested.
The study was randomized and double-blinded. The mothers took 10 mL of cod liver oil or corn oil from week 18 of pregnancy until 3 months after delivery. Their children were tested with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children at 7 years of age, and their height and weight were measured.
We did not find any significant differences in scores on the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children test at 7 years of age between children whose mothers had taken cod liver oil (n = 82) or corn oil (n = 61). We observed, however, that maternal plasma phospholipid concentrations of alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy were correlated to sequential processing at 7 years of age. We observed no correlation between fatty acid status at birth or during the first 3 months of life and BMI at 7 years of age.
This study suggests that maternal concentration of n-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy might be of importance for later cognitive function, such as sequential processing, although we observed no significant effect of n-3 fatty acid intervention on global IQs. Neonatal fatty acid status had no influence on BMI at 7 years of age.
花生四烯酸（20:4n-6）和二十二碳六烯酸（22:6n-3）对大脑发育和认知发展至关重要。我们曾报道，与孕期补充n-6多不饱和脂肪酸的母亲相比，孕期和哺乳期补充n-3超长链多不饱和脂肪酸的母亲，其孩子在4岁时智商得分更高。在本研究中，对这些孩子在7岁时进行了与4岁时相同的认知测试。我们还研究了儿童血浆脂肪酸模式与BMI之间的关系，因为已有研究表明花生四烯酸与脂肪组织大小之间存在关联。
本研究为随机双盲试验。母亲们从孕期第18周开始至产后3个月，每天服用10毫升鳕鱼肝油或玉米油。其孩子在7岁时接受考夫曼儿童评估测验，并测量身高和体重。
我们发现，母亲服用鳕鱼肝油（n = 82）或玉米油（n = 61）的孩子，在7岁时考夫曼儿童评估测验的得分没有显著差异。然而，我们观察到孕期母亲血浆磷脂中α-亚麻酸（18:3n-3）和二十二碳六烯酸的浓度与孩子7岁时的序列加工能力相关。我们未观察到出生时或出生后前3个月的脂肪酸状态与7岁时BMI之间存在相关性。
本研究表明，孕期母亲体内n-3超长链多不饱和脂肪酸的浓度可能对后期认知功能（如序列加工）很重要，尽管我们未观察到n-3脂肪酸干预对整体智商有显著影响。新生儿脂肪酸状态对7岁时的BMI没有影响。
