title: Prenatal DHA status and neurological outcome in children at age 5.5 years are positively associated.
abstract: Beneficial effects of perinatal DHA supply on later neurological development have been reported. We assessed the effects of maternal DHA supplementation on the neurological development of their children. Healthy pregnant women from Spain, Germany, and Hungary were randomly assigned to a dietary supplement consisting of either fish oil (FO) (500 mg/d DHA + 150 mg/d EPA), 400 μg/d 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, both, or placebo from wk 20 of gestation until delivery. Fatty acids in plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids (PL) were determined in maternal blood at gestational wk 20 and 30 and in cord and maternal blood at delivery. Neurological development was assessed with the Hempel examination at the age of 4 y and the Touwen examination at 5.5 y. Minor neurological dysfunction, neurological optimality score (NOS), and fluency score did not differ between groups at either age, but the odds of children with the maximal NOS score increased with every unit increment in cord blood DHA level at delivery in plasma PL (95% CI: 1.094-2.262), erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine (95% CI: 1.091-2.417), and erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine (95% CI: 1.003-2.643). We conclude that higher DHA levels in cord blood may be related to a better neurological outcome at 5.5 y of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Granada, 18012 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: M Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Escolano-Margarit
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: Györgyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Csábi
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parrilla-Roure
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perez-Garcia
authors.forename: Mijna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadders-Algra
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Decsi
authors.forename: Berthold V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Koletzko
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campoy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; C005984:5-methyltetrahydrofolate