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DHA、PS（磷脂酰丝氨酸）、核桃肽、N-乙酰神经氨酸、神经酸、ALA（α-亚麻酸）、维生素A、D3、和叶黄素油的前沿研究有什么发现
这些营养成分在维持和提升大脑功能、保护神经发育以及对抗脑部老化方面具有显著的前沿科学发现。简单来说，它们就像是大脑的“建筑砖块”、“通信电缆”和“防锈油”，各自在脑神经的构建、信号传递和抗衰老中扮演着不可替代的角色。
下面我们用通俗易懂的语言，为您详细拆解这九种营养成分的最新科学发现。
1. DHA（二十二碳六烯酸）：大脑的“核心结构砖块”
DHA是一种多不饱和脂肪酸。如果把大脑比作一座房子，DHA就是建造墙壁和地基最关键的砖块。大脑中含有丰富的脂肪酸，而DHA在神经组织的生长和功能发挥中起着至关重要的作用。
前沿发现：
- 母婴传递与智力发育： 母亲在孕期和哺乳期摄入充足的DHA，会直接传递给婴儿。如果母体缺乏DHA，婴儿的大脑发育、学习能力和视觉功能都会受到影响。流行病学研究表明，母亲DHA摄入量低，儿童神经发育不良的风险就会增加。
- 对抗大脑“生锈”： 随着年龄增长，大脑会产生一种叫做“氧化应激”的反应（就像铁生锈一样，会损伤脑细胞）。研究发现，给衰老加速的小鼠喂食含有DHA的牛奶，能显著提高小鼠大脑中一种叫“超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）”的物质活性。SOD就像是大脑里的“除锈剂”，能增强大脑的抗氧化能力，从而改善小鼠的认知和记忆能力。
- DHA的“搭载体”很关键： 研究发现，DHA以不同的形式进入身体，效果不同。把DHA附着在磷脂（比如磷脂酰丝氨酸或磷脂酰胆碱）上，比普通的DHA甘油三酯形式更能有效提高大脑和肝脏中的DHA含量。
2. PS（磷脂酰丝氨酸）：大脑细胞的“保护盾”与DHA的“黄金搭档”
PS是一种磷脂。我们的大脑细胞外层有一层细胞膜，PS就像是这层膜上的“保护盾”，能帮助细胞保持柔软和健康，让细胞之间的信号传递更顺畅。
前沿发现：
- 与DHA协同保护大脑： 在大脑中，DHA主要储存在磷脂酰胆碱、磷脂酰乙醇胺和磷脂酰丝氨酸（PS）等形式中。当身体需要时，DHA会从这些膜磷脂中释放出来，参与脑神经的信号传递、神经发生（长出新神经）和减轻神经炎症等关键过程。
- 排毒与护肝护脑： 现代生活中微塑料污染令人担忧。研究发现，DHA强化的PS（DHA-PS）能够通过“肠-肝轴”改善微塑料引起的小鼠肝脏损伤。它能抑制肝脏中的炎症通道，并修复受损的肠道菌群平衡，从而减轻体内的氧化应激和脂质堆积。虽然这项研究主要针对肝脏，但肠道和大脑健康息息相关，这为DHA-PS作为膳食补充剂抵御环境污染提供了新方向。
- DHA-PS在脑部脂质分布中占优： 在补充DHA时，采用PS形式的DHA，在提升大脑特定磷脂分子中的DHA含量方面，比磷脂酰胆碱（PC）形式更有优势。
3. 核桃肽：大脑的“特快专递员”
注：在目前为您检索到的科学文献中，没有直接关于“核桃肽”的具体研究资料。因此，基于科学严谨的原则，我们无法为您提供关于核桃肽前沿研究的详细解读。通常在营养学中，肽是蛋白质分解后的小分子片段，理论上更容易被身体吸收，但具体到核桃肽对大脑的作用机制和临床效果，目前的证据材料不足，建议您参考其他权威医学机构的最新指南。
4. N-乙酰神经氨酸（唾液酸）：大脑发育的“秘密礼物”
N-乙酰神经氨酸（Neu5Ac）也被称为唾液酸（Sia），是一种在大脑发育中起关键作用的分子。它就像是为大脑发育准备的一份“秘密礼物”，对神经细胞的构建至关重要。
前沿发现：
- 母乳与婴幼儿智力： 母乳是唾液酸的重要来源，母乳喂养能显著促进婴儿的认知发育。唾液酸是大脑神经节苷脂发育的关键分子，对早期大脑发育和功能至关重要。动物研究表明，补充唾液酸可以增强早期和晚期的智力及认知表现。
- 改善脑积水神经损伤： 正常压力脑积水（NPH）是一种会引起神经系统障碍的疾病。研究发现，NPH患者脑脊液中的Neu5Ac水平显著下降，且与病情严重程度相关。在小鼠实验中，通过给予N-乙酰甘露糖胺（ManNAc，一种Neu5Ac的前体物质）来增加大脑中的Neu5Ac，能够促使有害的星形胶质细胞（A1型，会引发炎症）转化为有益的星形胶质细胞（A2型，起修复作用），从而减轻脑室周围白质的脱髓鞘（即神经保护层受损），改善神经行为功能。
- 对抗老年痴呆： 新的证据表明，唾液酸参与了大脑内部环境的稳定，其失衡与阿尔茨海默病（老年痴呆）等常见病理状态密切相关。
5. 神经酸：大脑神经的“绝缘维修工”
神经酸（NA）是一种超长链单不饱和脂肪酸。我们大脑里的神经纤维就像一根根电线，神经酸就是包裹在电线外面的“绝缘层”材料。如果绝缘层破损，神经信号就会漏电或断联。
前沿发现：
- 神经系统修复的关键： 神经酸在脑神经系统的发育以及神经系统疾病的治疗中扮演着至关重要的角色，因此受到了广泛关注。
- 获取方式的突破： 尽管神经酸来源广泛，但传统上主要依靠化学合成和植物提取，难以满足市场和绿色产业的需求，限制了其应用。近年来的前沿研究集中在利用“合成生物学”技术，即通过微生物或细胞工厂来生物合成神经酸。这为未来大规模、环保地获取神经酸，并用于大脑保健和疾病治疗提供了新的生产策略。
6. ALA（α-亚麻酸）：大脑DHA的“源头工厂”
ALA（α-亚麻酸）是一种人体必需的omega-3脂肪酸，主要存在于植物油脂中。人体无法自己合成它，必须通过食物摄取。它之所以重要，是因为它是制造DHA的“源头原料”。
前沿发现：
- 转化为DHA的必经之路： ALA是提供DHA的基础营养素。如果饮食中缺乏omega-3脂肪酸（包括ALA），大脑中的DHA水平就会下降，而omega-6脂肪酸会上升，这对大脑健康不利。
- 西方饮食的隐患： 现代西方饮食中omega-3脂肪酸含量普遍偏低。母亲体内的DHA状态直接决定了传递给新生儿的DHA量，而改善母亲的ALA和DHA营养，能有效降低婴儿视觉和神经发育不良的风险。
- 基因差异的影响： 科学研究发现，不同人体内负责脂肪酸代谢的基因（如脂肪酸去饱和酶基因）存在变异。这意味着，有些人将ALA转化为DHA的效率较低，这部分人群可能需要摄入更多的omega-3脂肪酸才能满足大脑需求。
7. 维生素A与D3：脑发育的“调节双雄”
这两种维生素不仅对身体生长重要，对大脑发育和神经保护也起着微妙的调节作用。
前沿发现：
- 维生素A（VA）与D3的相互制衡： 这是营养学中非常前沿的一个机制假说。通常人们认为维生素D中毒是因为血钙过高，但新假说提出，维生素D的毒性其实是通过消耗体内的维生素K来实现的。有趣的是，维生素A在这个过程中起到了“保护伞”的作用——它能减少对维生素K依赖蛋白的表达，从而节省体内的维生素K，防止维生素D摄入过量带来的不良反应。这意味着，在补充维生素D3时，保持与维生素A的平衡至关重要。
- 孕期缺乏与自闭症风险： 孕期关键营养素的缺乏与中枢神经系统损伤有关。维生素D不仅与骨骼和钙有关，还与自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）相关基因以及大脑的氧化应激环境有关。孕期维生素缺乏可能增加胎儿未来患自闭症的易感性。
- 神经保护与抗氧化： 在帕金森病（一种常见的神经退行性疾病，特征是脑内特定蛋白质异常聚集和神经元死亡）的病理机制中，氧化应激是罪魁祸首之一。具有抗氧化和抗炎特性的维生素（包括维生素A和D）被认为是潜在的神经保护治疗策略。
8. 叶黄素油：大脑的“蓝光过滤器”与“认知保鲜剂”
叶黄素是一种广泛存在于自然界和人类饮食中的天然色素（类胡萝卜素）。人体无法自己合成，必须吃进去。叶黄素油作为一种高效的补充形式，近年来在脑眼健康领域大放异彩。
前沿发现：
- 大脑中的主导色素： 过去人们只知道叶黄素对眼睛黄斑区好，但最新研究发现，叶黄素是人类大脑组织中主要的类胡萝卜素。在大脑中，它发挥着抗氧化、抗炎和结构支撑的作用。
- 儿童大脑发育的“刚需”： 在儿童的大脑中，叶黄素占总类胡萝卜素的比例是成年人的两倍，超过总量的一半。这表明在神经系统发育的关键期，大脑对叶黄素有着强烈的“渴望”和需求。婴幼儿主要通过母乳或添加了叶黄素的配方奶粉获取，它在保护脆弱的神经组织免受氧化损伤方面作用巨大。
- 改善成年人与老年人的认知： 在成年人中，体内叶黄素水平越高，认知能力（比如解决问题的能力、记忆力）表现越好；补充叶黄素被证明可以改善认知功能。
- 对女性尤为重要： 女性虽然比男性长寿，但患老年相关疾病和残疾的风险更高（这被称为死亡率-发病率悖论）。研究表明，叶黄素和玉米黄质在女性的眼和脑组织中高度富集。它们不仅能改善视觉处理速度、记忆力和执行功能（这可能是因为它们对海马体和额叶皮质等大脑区域有局部积极作用），还能作为强效抗氧化剂，防止神经退行性疾病（如老年黄斑变性和某些痴呆症）的发生。
- 营养靶向输送（Nutritargeting）： 科学界正在研究如何让营养素“精准打击”目标器官。就像制导导弹一样，科学家希望把叶黄素等微量营养素包裹起来，让它们绕过胃酸破坏，精准地到达眼睛和大脑，避免在全身乱跑产生副作用。
总结
大脑虽然只占人体重量的很小一部分，却是人体最耗能、最精密的器官。从上述前沿研究可以看出，守护大脑健康需要一套“组合拳”：
- 构建基础： ALA转化为DHA，DHA与PS结合，共同构建坚固的大脑细胞膜。
- 连接通信： 神经酸修复神经纤维的绝缘层，N-乙酰神经氨酸促进神经发育和修复。
- 防护保养： 叶黄素和维生素A、D3作为抗氧化剂和调节剂，抵御外界光损伤、化学污染和内部老化。
虽然这些成分在实验室和临床观察中展现出了令人振奋的潜力，但科学界仍在持续探索它们在人体内的最佳配比、精准输送方式（如营养靶向技术）以及针对不同人群（如孕妇、儿童、老年人）的具体剂量建议。均衡饮食，必要时科学补充，是保持大脑活力的长远之道。
References
1The Effects and Mechanisms of n-3 and n-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Central Nervous System.PubMed
Jiajia Tian, Yating Zhang, Xudong Zhao
The brain is rich in fatty acids (FAs), with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3, DHA) and arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6, ARA), and the former predominantly stored in the form of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE, diacyl and plasma phospholipid proform), and phosphatidylserine (PS), while the latter is mainly found in ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (EPG) and contributes to constitute most of phosphoglycerides. When required by the body, PUFAs are liberated from membrane phospholipids (either directly or via their metabolites, which are generated by a series of enzymatic reactions) to participate in various cerebral physiological processes. PUFAs and their derivatives play crucial roles in modulating numerous bodily functions, including neuronal signal transmission, neurogenesis, neuroinflammation, and glucose uptake in the brain, thereby sustaining fundamental brain function. Although PUFAs have been implicated in a spectrum of neurological disorders, including acute brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS), and neurodegenerative diseases, their role in conditions such as depression, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD) is particularly noteworthy. These disorders are closely linked to critical brain functions, including cognition, memory, and inflammatory processes. Given the substantial body of research elucidating the involvement of PUFAs in the pathogenesis and progression of these diseases, this review will specifically concentrate on their impact within these contexts.
2Increasing brain N-acetylneuraminic acid alleviates hydrocephalus-induced neurological deficits.PubMed
Zhangyang Wang, Xiaoqun Nie, Fang Gao, et al.
AIMS: This metabolomic study aimed to evaluate the role of N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) in the neurological deficits of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and its potential therapeutic effect. METHODS: We analyzed the metabolic profiles of NPH using cerebrospinal fluid with multivariate and univariate statistical analyses in a set of 42 NPH patients and 38 controls. We further correlated the levels of differential metabolites with severity-related clinical parameters, including the normal pressure hydrocephalus grading scale (NPHGS). We then established kaolin-induced hydrocephalus in mice and treated them using N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc), a precursor of Neu5Ac. We examined brain Neu5Ac, astrocyte polarization, demyelination, and neurobehavioral outcomes to explore its therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Three metabolites were significantly altered in NPH patients. Only decreased Neu5Ac levels were correlated with NPHGS scores. Decreased brain Neu5Ac levels have been observed in hydrocephalic mice. Increasing brain Neu5Ac by ManNAc suppressed the activation of astrocytes and promoted their transition from A1 to A2 polarization. ManNAc also attenuated the periventricular white matter demyelination and improved neurobehavioral outcomes in hydrocephalic mice. CONCLUSION: Increasing brain Neu5Ac improved the neurological outcomes associated with the regulation of astrocyte polarization and the suppression of demyelination in hydrocephalic mice, which may be a potential therapeutic strategy for NPH.
3Research Progress of Nervonic Acid Biosynthesis.PubMed
Cheng Ling, Feng Li, Jiangyuan Zhao, et al.
Nervonic acid (NA) is a very-long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid with great application values. It plays a vital role in the development of brain nervous system and the treatment of neurological diseases, so it has attracted much attention from all walks of life. Although NA has a wide range of sources, its current acquisition methods are still mainly relied on chemical synthesis and plant extraction, which are challenging to meet the market and green industry demands, limiting its development and application. In recent years, with the rapid development of synthetic biology technology, NA biosynthesis has become an alternative production strategy. In this study, we summarize the physicochemical properties, pharmacological activities, resources, biosynthetic pathways and heterologous biosynthesis of NA, and discuss the challenges and prospects of NA biosynthesis. The application prospects of cell-free systems and retrobiosynthesis in NA synthesis were also reviewed.
4Could Vitamins Have a Positive Impact on the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease?PubMed
Sandeep, Manas Ranjan Sahu, Linchi Rani, et al.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. Pathophysiologically, it is characterized by intracytoplasmic aggregates of α-synuclein protein in the Lewy body and loss of dopaminergic neurons from substantia nigra pars compacta and striatum regions of the brain. Although the exact mechanism of neurodegeneration is not fully elucidated, it has been reported that environmental toxins such as MPTP, rotenone, paraquat, and MPP induce oxidative stress, which is one of the causative factors for it. To date, there is no complete cure. However, the indispensable role of oxidative stress in mediating PD indicates that antioxidant therapy could be a possible therapeutic strategy against the disease. The deficiency of vitamins has been extensively co-related to PD. Dietary supplementation of vitamins with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and free radical scavenging properties could be the potential neuroprotective therapeutic strategy. This review summarizes the studies that evaluated the role of vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, and K) in PD. It will guide future studies in understanding the potential therapeutic role of vitamins in disease pathophysiology and may provide a framework for designing treatment strategies against the disease.
5Nutritargeting.PubMed
Hans Konrad Biesalski, Jana Tinz
The term "nutritargeting" in analogy to the term "drug targeting" means targeting nutrients to specific "target" tissues. What is the rationale for this idea? Some tissues obviously are able to accumulate micronutrients selectively and to use them predominantly for specific functions. It has, for instance, been known for a long time that the accumulation of beta-carotene in the skin does not only provide a "golden-yellow" color but considerable antioxidative protection as well. Yet beta-carotene is only one of many antioxidants, which can be detected in the skin. Other carotenoids, for example, lutein and zeaxanthine, are preferentially found in the macula lutea, the so-called yellow spot in the eye. Here, carotenoids are subject to a metabolism typical for that tissue, which cannot be found in other tissues (e.g., formation of meso-zeaxanthine). In addition, they can specifically be absorbed into the macula. In the macula, they protect the retinal pigment epithelial cells against oxidative damage from UV light. Indeed, these two carotenoids can be protective against age-dependent macula degeneration. Another example is the tissues that are particularly rich in vitamin C, for example, the cortex of the suprarenal gland or the lens: here, vitamin C fulfills both antioxidative functions and metabolic ones as it helps in the formation of collagen structures. Approximately 40% of the body's ascorbate is stored in skeletal muscle because this tissue is relatively abundant and its cellular concentration is tenfold higher than the plasma level. Similarly, the intracellular ascorbate concentration in the brain (3 mM) greatly exceeds the level in the extracellular fluid (200-400 muM). The majority of ascorbate is stored in the astroglial cells that are capable of reducing great quantities of DHAA to ascorbate, which then becomes available for release back into the extracellular fluid. Thus, the accumulation of vitamins respectively micronutrients in single tissues is not limited to a pure storage process like the storage of vitamin A in the liver, but is often connected with important and tissue-specific metabolic functions. When single micronutrients are applied for prevention or even intervention in diseases of organs or tissues, they are usually administered in higher doses for a longer period of time. The hope is to accumulate it this way sufficiently in the tissue and to thus be able to ensure the therapeutic success. This procedure, however, leads to a "flooding" of the whole organism with micronutrients and their potential enrichment in tissues which would usually not accumulate the respective micronutrient. Thus, unexpected side effects may occur. An attractive solution to these problems in the future could be to wrap up or apply micronutrients in such a way that they can selectively reach the targeted tissue. For this approach, called "drug targeting" by pharmacologists, one could introduce the analogous expression "nutritargeting" with respect to micronutrients. For such a nutritargeting there are already a lot of examples and developments which show that it is possible to accumulate micronutrients in target tissues while simultaneously circumventing or protecting other tissues. A substantial requirement for the development of "carriers" for nutritargeting is the availability of procedures or specific carriers, which allow the selected nutrients to bypass the main barriers that are encountered when, for example, circumventing the enteral route in the targeting process. The entrance areas for such a targeting are the nasal mucosa, the oral mucosa, the cornea, the skin, or the lung. In the case of enteral application of proteins, the packaging has to resist gastric digestion and the body must be able to absorb the particles through the intestinal mucosa without hydrolyzing the proteins in order for them to reach the systemic circulation. Another field in which nutritargeting may play an important role is the diseases where either systemic absorption is not possible (e.g., malabsorption/maldigestion) or where local deficits occur, which may not or only inadequately be supplied by systemic application.
6Efficacy of DHA-enriched phosphatidylserine and its underlying mechanism in alleviating polystyrene nanoplastics-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.PubMed
Yuanlei Zhang, Qiaoling Zhao, Rui Zhao, et al.
OBJECTIVE: Plastic pollution has become a global pollution problem that cannot be ignored. As the main destination of human oral intake, the toxic effects of plastic on the digestive system represented by the intestine and liver are the focus of current research. Marine-derived DHA-PS has a variety of biological activities, mainly focusing on improving brain function and regulating lipid metabolism. However, whether it has an improvement effect on PS-NPs-induced hepato-intestinal injury and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. METHODS: A murine liver injury model was established by gavage of PS-NPs for six weeks. By integrating approaches from lipidomics, transcriptomics, and gut microbiota analysis, the molecular mechanism by which DHA-PS alleviates PS-NPs-induced murine hepatotoxicity was explored through the "gut-liver axis". RESULTS: Our findings reveal that prolonged exposure to PS-NPs results in significant murine liver damage and dysfunction, characterized by increased oxidative stress and inflammation, along with exacerbated hepatic lipid accumulation. Mechanistically, PS-NPs disrupt the hepatic SIRT1-AMPK pathway by suppressing the expression of SIRT1, AMPKα, and PPARα, while enhancing the expression of SREBP-1c, ultimately leading to disordered hepatic lipid metabolism. The sphingolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolic pathways were particularly affected. Additionally, in agreement with transcriptomic analyses, PS-NPs activate the hepatic TLR4/NF-κB pathway. At the same time, exposure to PS-NPs decreases the expression of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1, diminishes the relative abundance of beneficial gut bacteria (norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Akkermansia, and norank_f_norank_o_Clostridia_UCG-014), and increases the prevalence of pathogenic gut bacteria (Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002 and Desulfovibrio), exacerbating liver injury through the gut-liver axis. However, administering DHA-PS (50 mg/kg) effectively alleviated these injuries. CONCLUSION: This study was the first to employ multi-omics techniques to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying hepatotoxicity induced by PS-NPs, thereby supporting the use of DHA-PS as a dietary supplement to mitigate the effects of nanoplastic pollutants.
7Sialic acid, the secret gift for the brain.PubMed
Fan Liu, Anna Bella Simpson, Esmée D'Costa, et al.
The human brain grows rapidly in early life which requires adequate nutrition. Human milk provides optimal nutrition for the developing brain, and breastfeeding significantly improves the cognition development of infants. These benefits have been largely attributed to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS), associated with sialic acid (Sia). Subsequently, sialylated HMOS present a vital source of exogenous Sia to infants. Sialic acid is a key molecule essential for proper development of gangliosides, and therefore critical in brain development and function. Recent pre-clinical studies suggest dietary supplementation with Sia or sialylated oligosaccharides enhances intelligence and cognition performance in early and later life. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests the involvement of Sia in brain homeostasis and disbalance correlates with common pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, this review will discuss early brain health and development and the role of Sia in this process. Additionally, studies associating breastfeeding and specific HMOS to benefits in cognitive development are critically assessed. Furthermore, the review will assess studies implying the potential role of HMOS and microbiota in brain development via the gut-brain axis. Finally, the review will summarize recent advances regarding the role of Sia in neurodegenerative disease in later life and potential roles of dietary Sia sources.
8Dietary omega 3 fatty acids and the developing brain.PubMed
Sheila M Innis
The omega-3 fatty acids are essential dietary nutrients and one of their important roles is providing the fatty acid with 22 carbons and 6 double bonds known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for nervous tissue growth and function. Inadequate intakes of omega-3 fatty acids decrease DHA and increase omega-6 fatty acids in the brain. Decreased DHA in the developing brain leads to deficits in neurogenesis, neurotransmitter metabolism, and altered learning and visual function in animals. Western diets are low in omega-3 fatty acids, including the 18 carbon omega-3 fatty acid alpha linolenic acid found mainly in plant oils, and DHA, which is found mainly in fish. The DHA status of the newborn and breast-fed infant depends on the maternal intake of DHA and varies widely. Epidemiological studies have linked low maternal DHA to increased risk of poor child neural development. Intervention studies have shown improving maternal DHA nutrition decreases the risk of poor infant and child visual and neural development. Thus, sufficient evidence is available to conclude that maternal fatty acid nutrition is important to DHA transfer to the infant before and after birth, with short and long-term implications for neural function. However, genetic variation in genes encoding fatty acid desaturases also influence essential fatty acid metabolism, and may increase requirements in some individuals. Consideration of omega-3 fatty acid to include brain development, optimizing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in gestation and lactation, and in fatty acid nutrition support for intravenous and formula-fed neonates is important.
9Biological Pathways Associated with Vitamins in Autism Spectrum Disorder.PubMed
Darlan Gusso, Gustavo Ricardo Krupp Prauchner, Alessandra Schmitt Rieder, et al.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by early-appearing social communication deficits, with genetic and environmental factors potentially playing a role in its etiology, which remains largely unknown. During pregnancy, certain deficiencies in critical nutrients are mainly associated with central nervous system impairment. The vitamin B9 (folate) is primarily related to one-carbon and methionine metabolism, participating in methyl donor generation. In addition, supplementation with folic acid (FA) is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the first three gestational months to prevent neural tube defects. Vitamin B12 is related to folate regeneration, converting it into an active form. Deficiencies in this vitamin have a negative impact on cognitive function and brain development since it is involved in myelin synthesis. Vitamin D is intimately associated with Ca levels, acting in bone development and calcium-dependent signaling. This vitamin is associated with ASD at several levels since it has a relation with ASD genes and oxidative stress environment. This review carries the recent literature about the role of folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D in ASD. In addition, we discuss the possible impact of nutrient deficiency or hypersupplementation during fetal development. On the other hand, we explore the biases of vitamin supplementation studies such as the loss of participants in retrospective studies, as well as multiple variants that are not considered in the conclusion, like dietary intake or auto-medication during pregnancy. In this regard, we aim to contribute to the discussion about the role of vitamins in ASD currency, but also in pregnancy and fetal development as well. Furthermore, stress during pregnancy can be an ASD predisposition, with cortisol as a regulator. In this view, we propose that cortisol is the bridge of susceptibility between vitamin disorders and ASD prevalence.
10Lutein and Brain Function.PubMed
John W Erdman, Joshua W Smith, Matthew J Kuchan, et al.
Lutein is one of the most prevalent carotenoids in nature and in the human diet. Together with zeaxanthin, it is highly concentrated as macular pigment in the foveal retina of primates, attenuating blue light exposure, providing protection from photo-oxidation and enhancing visual performance. Recently, interest in lutein has expanded beyond the retina to its possible contributions to brain development and function. Only primates accumulate lutein within the brain, but little is known about its distribution or physiological role. Our team has begun to utilize the rhesus macaque () model to study the uptake and bio-localization of lutein in the brain. Our overall goal has been to assess the association of lutein localization with brain function. In this review, we will first cover the evolution of the non-human primate model for lutein and brain studies, discuss prior association studies of lutein with retina and brain function, and review approaches that can be used to localize brain lutein. We also describe our approach to the biosynthesis of C-lutein, which will allow investigation of lutein flux, localization, metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Lastly, we describe potential future research opportunities.
11Effects of endogenous DHA milk and exogenous DHA milk on oxidative stress and cognition in SAMP8 mice.PubMed
Xiaodan Wang, Huiquan Zhu, Baorong Chen, et al.
In this study, Senescence Accelerated Mice (SAMP8) were supplemented with exogenous DHA milk, endogenous DHA milk, normal milk, or 0.9 % saline solution. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), gas chromatography (GC), ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI MS/MS), and Morris water maze were used to characterize the effects of diet on oxidative stress and cognition in SAMP8 mice. Supplementation endogenous DHA milk or exogenous DHA milk can enhance the antioxidant capacity of mice organs. Endogenous DHA milk increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of mice brain and serum than normal milk and 0.9 % saline solution (P ≤ 0.05), as well as increased SOD activity of mice liver and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of mice brain than normal milk (P ≤ 0.05). Exogenous DHA milk increased SOD activity of mice brain than normal milk and 0.9 % saline solution, as well as increased SOD activity of mice serum than 0.9 % saline solution (P ≤ 0.05). Several polar lipid relative content, such as 18:0/18:2 PS, 17:0 Ceramide, and 20:4 LPC in mice brain was affected by dietary supplementation with DHA-containing milk. Lipid oxidation metabolites in mice brain were not affected by DHA-containing milk. Endogenous DHA milk increased the number of platform location crossing times of mice in the Morris water maze test, compared with Exogenous DHA milk, normal milk, and 0.9 % saline solution (P ≤ 0.05).
12Vitamin D toxicity redefined: vitamin K and the molecular mechanism.PubMed
Christopher Masterjohn
The dose of vitamin D that some researchers recommend as optimally therapeutic exceeds that officially recognized as safe by a factor of two; it is therefore important to determine the precise mechanism by which excessive doses of vitamin D exert toxicity so that physicians and other health care practitioners may understand how to use optimally therapeutic doses of this vitamin without the risk of adverse effects. Although the toxicity of vitamin D has conventionally been attributed to its induction of hypercalcemia, animal studies show that the toxic endpoints observed in response to hypervitaminosis D such as anorexia, lethargy, growth retardation, bone resorption, soft tissue calcification, and death can be dissociated from the hypercalcemia that usually accompanies them, demanding that an alternative explanation for the mechanism of vitamin D toxicity be developed. The hypothesis presented in this paper proposes the novel understanding that vitamin D exerts toxicity by inducing a deficiency of vitamin K. According to this model, vitamin D increases the expression of proteins whose activation depends on vitamin K-mediated carboxylation; as the demand for carboxylation increases, the pool of vitamin K is depleted. Since vitamin K is essential to the nervous system and plays important roles in protecting against bone loss and calcification of the peripheral soft tissues, its deficiency results in the symptoms associated with hypervitaminosis D. This hypothesis is circumstantially supported by the observation that animals deficient in vitamin K or vitamin K-dependent proteins exhibit remarkable similarities to animals fed toxic doses of vitamin D, and the observation that vitamin D and the vitamin K-inhibitor Warfarin have similar toxicity profiles and exert toxicity synergistically when combined. The hypothesis further proposes that vitamin A protects against the toxicity of vitamin D by decreasing the expression of vitamin K-dependent proteins and thereby exerting a vitamin K-sparing effect. If animal experiments can confirm this hypothesis, the models by which the maximum safe dose is determined would need to be revised. Physicians and other health care practitioners would be able to treat patients with doses of vitamin D that possess greater therapeutic value than those currently being used while avoiding the risk of adverse effects by administering vitamin D together with vitamins A and K.
13The Effect of Lutein on Eye and Extra-Eye Health.PubMed
Silvio Buscemi, Davide Corleo, Francesco Di Pace, et al.
Lutein is a carotenoid with reported anti-inflammatory properties. A large body of evidence shows that lutein has several beneficial effects, especially on eye health. In particular, lutein is known to improve or even prevent age-related macular disease which is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment. Furthermore, many studies have reported that lutein may also have positive effects in different clinical conditions, thus ameliorating cognitive function, decreasing the risk of cancer, and improving measures of cardiovascular health. At present, the available data have been obtained from both observational studies investigating lutein intake with food, and a few intervention trials assessing the efficacy of lutein supplementation. In general, sustained lutein consumption, either through diet or supplementation, may contribute to reducing the burden of several chronic diseases. However, there are also conflicting data concerning lutein efficacy in inducing favorable effects on human health and there are no univocal data concerning the most appropriate dosage for daily lutein supplementation. Therefore, based on the most recent findings, this review will focus on lutein properties, dietary sources, usual intake, efficacy in human health, and toxicity.
14Effects of short-term supplementation with DHA-enriched phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine on lipid profiles in the brain and liver of n-3 PUFA-deficient mice in early life after weaning.PubMed
Wei-Ya Zuo, Min Wen, Ying-Cai Zhao, et al.
BACKGROUND: Lack of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids during the period of maternity drastically lowers the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) level in the brain of offspring and studies have demonstrated that different molecular forms of DHA are beneficial to brain development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term supplementation with DHA-enriched phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) on DHA levels in the liver and brain of congenital n-3-deficient mice. RESULTS: Dietary supplementation with DHA significantly changed the fatty acid composition of various phospholipid molecules in the cerebral cortex and liver while DHA-enriched phospholipid was more effective than DHA triglyceride (TG) in increasing brain and liver DHA. Both DHA-PS and DHA-PC could effectively increase the DHA levels, but DHA in the PS form was superior to PC in the contribution of DHA content in the brain ether-linked PC (ePC) and liver lyso-phosphatidylcholine molecular species. DHA-PC showed more significant effects on the increase of DHA in liver TG, PC, ePC, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and PE plasmalogen (pPE) molecular species and decreasing the arachidonic acid level in liver PC plasmalogen, ePC, PE and pPE molecular species compared with DHA-PS. CONCLUSION: The effect of dietary interventions with different molecular forms of DHA for brain and liver lipid profiles is different, which may provide theoretical guidance for dietary supplementation of DHA for people. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
15Lutein as an Ingredient in Pediatric Nutritionals.PubMed
Amy C Long, Matthew Kuchan, Amy D Mackey
Lutein is a xanthophyll carotenoid that can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables that may be limiting in the pediatric diet, which makes it an attractive nutrient for addition to supplemental nutritional products. Including lutein in the diet from a young age may provide protective benefits during a critical time of ocular and cognitive development. Lutein accumulation in eye and brain has led to research to better define the physiological role of this nutrient. Infants are exposed to lutein primarily through the consumption of breast milk or infant formulas containing lutein. The ingredient has been evaluated to be safe by many scientific and regulatory authorities for the addition to food, including formulated nutritional products. Nonhuman primates have been important in the investigation of the role dietary lutein in eye and brain function. Studies examining diets low or absent in lutein have revealed the impact on brain and eye function. Diets low in lutein may compromise neural tissues such as those found in the eye, which are susceptible to oxidation from blue wavelength light. No dietary recommendations have been established for lutein; however, several publications have highlighted the accumulating evidence that lutein provides long-term benefits when incorporated in adequate amounts in the diet.
16Lutein, zeaxanthin and mammalian development: Metabolism, functions and implications for health.PubMed
Elena Giordano, Loredana Quadro
It is now widely accepted that nutrition during critical periods in early development, both pre- and postnatal, may have lifetime consequences in determining health or onset of major diseases in the adult life. Dietary carotenoids have shown beneficial health effects throughout the life cycle due to their potential antioxidant properties, their ability to serves as precursors of vitamin A and to the emerging signaling functions of their metabolites. The non-provitamin A carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are emerging as important modulators of infant and child visual and cognitive development, as well as critical effectors in the prevention and treatment of morbidity associated with premature births. This review provides a general overview of lutein and zeaxanthin metabolism in mammalian tissues and highlights the major advancements and remaining gaps in knowledge in regards to their metabolism and health effects during pre- and early post-natal development. Furthering our knowledge in this area of research will impact dietary recommendation and supplementation strategies aimed at sustaining proper fetal and infant growth.
17Carotenoids in human nutrition and health.PubMed
Manfred Eggersdorfer, Adrian Wyss
Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments found in most fruits and vegetables, plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. Humans cannot synthesize carotenoids and must ingest them in food or via supplementation. Carotenoids have a range of functions in human health. They primarily exert antioxidant effects, but individual carotenoids may also act through other mechanisms; for example, β-carotene has a pro-vitamin A function, while lutein/zeaxanthin constitute macular pigment in the eye. The benefit of lutein in reducing progression of age-related macular eye disease and cataracts is strengthening; an intake recommendation would help to generate awareness in the general population to have an adequate intake of lutein rich foods. There is evidence that carotenoids, in addition to beneficial effects on eye health, also produce improvements in cognitive function and cardiovascular health, and may help to prevent some types of cancer. Despite the evidence for the health benefits of carotenoids, large population-based supplementation studies have produced mixed results for some of the carotenoids. To establish and confirm the health benefits of the different carotenoids more research, including clinical studies, is needed.
18Role of lutein and zeaxanthin in visual and cognitive function throughout the lifespan.PubMed
Elizabeth J Johnson
The relationship between lutein and zeaxanthin and visual and cognitive health throughout the lifespan is compelling. There is a variety of evidence to support a role for lutein and zeaxanthin in vision. Lutein's role in cognition has only recently been considered. Lutein and its isomer, zeaxanthin, are taken up selectively into eye tissue. Lutein is the predominant carotenoid in human brain tissue. Lutein and zeaxanthin in neural tissue may have biological effects that include antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and structural actions. In addition, lutein and zeaxanthin may be protective against eye disease because they absorb damaging blue light that enters the eye. In pediatric brains, the relative contribution of lutein to the total carotenoids is twice that found in adults, accounting for more than half the concentration of total carotenoids. The greater proportion of lutein in the pediatric brain suggests a need for lutein during neural development as well. In adults, higher lutein status is related to better cognitive performance, and lutein supplementation improves cognition. The evidence to date warrants further investigation into the role of lutein and zeaxanthin in visual and cognitive health throughout the lifespan.
19The influence of the macular carotenoids on women's eye and brain health.PubMed
Billy R Hammond, Lisa Renzi-Hammond
The mortality-morbidity paradox refers to the inconsistency in survival and disease between males and females: females live longer but tend to suffer greater age-related disease and disability. Many aspects of the latter can be targeted by lifestyle interventions, such as changes in dietary behavior. The relevant literature is reviewed. Dietary intake of the pigmented carotenoids appears to be particularly important for issues such as visual and cognitive loss. This may be due to the highly selective presence of a fraction of carotenoids, namely lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z), in specific tissues of the eye and brain. At those sites, L and Z have been shown to directly improve function and prevent central nervous system degeneration. On the palliative side, retinal LZ reduce glare disability, discomfort and photostress, improve chromatic contrast and visual range (e.g., the ability to see through blue atmospheric haze). These effects on input reflect changes in neural output such as improved visual processing speed, problem solving, memory and executive function (presumably due, also, to local effects in areas such as the hippocampus and frontal cortex). These effects on function throughout the central nervous system are mirrored by effects on disease progression. As potent antioxidants/anti-inflammatory agents, and "blue-blockers" within the retina, the pigments prevent loss that precedes neurodegenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and some forms of dementia.