title: DHA status is positively related to motor development in breastfed African and Dutch infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Docosahexaenoic (DHA) and arachidonic (AA) acids are important for neurodevelopment. We investigated the relation between erythrocyte (RBC) DHA and AA contents and neurological development, by assessment of General Movements (GMs), in populations with substantial differences in fish intakes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 3-month-old breastfed infants of three Tanzanian tribes: Maasai (low fish, n = 5), Pare (intermediate fish, n = 32), and Sengerema (high fish, n = 60); and a Dutch population (low-intermediate, fish, n = 15). GMs were assessed by motor optimality score (MOS) and the number of observed movement patterns (OMP; an MOS sub-score). RBC-DHA and AA contents were determined by capillary gas chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no between-population differences in MOS. OMP of Sengerema infants (high fish) was higher than OMP of Dutch infants (low-intermediate fish). MOS related to age. OMP related positively to infant age (P < 0.001) and RBC-DHA (P = 0.015), and was unrelated to ethnicity and RBC-AA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive relation between RBC-DHA and the number of observed movement patterns of 3-month old infants might reflect the connection of DHA with motor development.
authors.forename: Martine F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Luxwolda
authors.forename: Remko S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: E Rudy
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Boersma
authors.forename: Saskia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: van Goor
authors.forename: D A Janneke
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dijck-Brouwer
authors.forename: Arend F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Frits A J
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Muskiet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development*; D009426:Netherlands; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D017747:Seafood; D013636:Tanzania; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid
keywords: Arachidonic acid (AA); Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); Fish intake Tanzania; General movements; Neurodevelopment