title: Effects of prenatal fish-oil and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate supplementation on cognitive development of children at 6.5 y of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The influence of prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and folate on neurologic development remains controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to assess the long-term effects of n-3 (omega-3) LC-PUFA supplementation, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) supplementation, or both in pregnant women on cognitive development of offspring at 6.5 y of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a follow-up study of the NUHEAL (Nutraceuticals for a Healthier Life) cohort. Healthy pregnant women in 3 European centers were randomly assigned to 4 intervention groups. From the 20th week of pregnancy until delivery, they received a daily supplement of 500 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) + 150 mg eicosapentaenoic acid [fish oil (FO)], 400 μg 5-MTHF, or both or a placebo. Infants received formula containing 0.5% DHA and 0.4% arachidonic acid (AA) if they were born to mothers receiving FO supplements or were virtually free of DHA and AA until the age of 6 mo if they belonged to the groups that were not supplemented with FO. Fatty acids and folate concentrations were determined in maternal blood at weeks 20 and 30 of pregnancy, at delivery, and in cord blood. Cognitive function was assessed at 6.5 y of age with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed no significant differences in K-ABC scores between intervention groups. Higher DHA in maternal erythrocytes at delivery was associated with a Mental Processing Composite Score higher than the 50th percentile in the offspring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed no significant effect of supplementation on the cognitive function of children, but maternal DHA status may be related to later cognitive function in children. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01180933.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Laboratory of Medical Investigations, Clinical University Hospital San Cecilio, Granada, Spain. ccampoy@ugr.es
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campoy
authors.forename: María V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Escolano-Margarit
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parrilla-Roure
authors.forename: Györgyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Csábi
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Tortosa
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Decsi
authors.forename: Berthold V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Koletzko
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D005492:Folic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; C005984:5-methyltetrahydrofolate