McJarrow Paul, Schnell Nicholas, Jumpsen Jacqueline, Clandinin Tom
Fonterra Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Nutr Rev. 2009 Aug;67(8):451-63. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00211.x.
Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids. Gangliosides are found in human milk; understanding of the potential role of gangliosides in infant development is emerging, with suggested roles in the brain and gut. Ganglioside accretion in the developing brain is highest in utero and in early neonatal life, during the periods of dendritic branching and new synapse formation. Further, brain contains the highest relative ganglioside content in the body, particularly in neuronal cell membranes concentrated in the area of the synaptic membrane. Gangliosides are known to play a role in neuronal growth, migration and maturation, neuritogenesis, synaptogenesis, and myelination. In addition to their roles in development and structure of the brain, gangliosides also play a functional role in nerve cell communication. It is less well known whether dietary gangliosides can influence the development of cognitive function. This review summarizes current knowledge on the role gangliosides play in brain development.
神经节苷脂是含唾液酸的糖鞘脂。母乳中存在神经节苷脂；人们对神经节苷脂在婴儿发育中的潜在作用的认识正在不断深入，其在大脑和肠道中可能发挥作用。在树突分支和新突触形成的子宫内及新生儿早期，发育中的大脑中神经节苷脂的积累最为显著。此外，大脑中神经节苷脂的相对含量在体内最高，尤其集中在突触膜区域的神经元细胞膜中。已知神经节苷脂在神经元生长、迁移和成熟、神经突形成、突触形成及髓鞘形成中发挥作用。除了在大脑发育和结构中的作用外，神经节苷脂在神经细胞通讯中也发挥功能作用。饮食中的神经节苷脂是否能影响认知功能的发育尚不太清楚。本综述总结了目前关于神经节苷脂在大脑发育中作用的知识。
