Makrides M, Neumann M A, Byard R W, Simmer K, Gibson R A
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia.
Am J Clin Nutr. 1994 Aug;60(2):189-94. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/60.2.189.
Breast-fed infants score better on visual and developmental tests than do formula-fed infants and this has been related to higher concentrations of erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 omega 3). This prompted an investigation into the relationship between brain, retina, and erythrocyte fatty acids and diet in infancy. Total lipids of erythrocytes, retina, and brain cortex from 35 term infants were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. Breast-fed infants had a greater proportion of DHA in their erythrocytes and brain cortex relative to those fed formula (P < 0.005) but differences were not observed in retina. Cortex DHA increased in breast-fed (but not formula-fed) infants with age (r2 = 0.72, P < 0.01, n = 15), largely an effect of length of feeding (r2 = 0.62, P < 0.01, n = 35). There was an association between age at death and erythrocyte DHA with cortex DHA (r2 = 0.50, P < 0.01). In contrast, accretion of cortex arachidonic acid was dependent on age but not diet. The higher concentration of DHA in brains of breast-fed infants may explain the improved neurodevelopment reported in breast-fed compared with formula-fed infants.
母乳喂养的婴儿在视觉和发育测试中的得分高于配方奶喂养的婴儿，这与红细胞二十二碳六烯酸（DHA，22:6 ω-3）浓度较高有关。这促使人们对婴儿期大脑、视网膜和红细胞脂肪酸与饮食之间的关系进行调查。通过毛细管气相色谱法分析了35名足月儿红细胞、视网膜和大脑皮层的总脂质。与配方奶喂养的婴儿相比，母乳喂养的婴儿红细胞和大脑皮层中DHA的比例更高（P < 0.005），但视网膜中未观察到差异。母乳喂养（而非配方奶喂养）的婴儿大脑皮层DHA随年龄增加（r2 = 0.72，P < 0.01，n = 15），这主要是喂养时间的影响（r2 = 0.62，P < 0.01，n = 35）。死亡年龄与红细胞DHA和大脑皮层DHA之间存在关联（r2 = 0.50，P < 0.01）。相比之下，大脑皮层花生四烯酸的积累取决于年龄而非饮食。母乳喂养婴儿大脑中DHA浓度较高可能解释了与配方奶喂养婴儿相比，母乳喂养婴儿神经发育改善的原因。
