title: Cerebrosides and their fatty acid profile in different regions of brains from small-for-date infants.
abstract: The concentration of cerebrosides and their fatty acid profile were determined in different regions of the brain, namely cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla oblongata, of normal infants (weighing > 2500 g) and of the two categories of small-for-date term infants (weighing 2000-2500 g and < 2000 g). Cerebroside concentration, in general, was observed to be low in the three regions of the brain from small-for-date infants. The magnitude of reduction varied with the region. The cerebrum, in particular, showed a significant reduction in the concentration of cerebrosides in the case of low-birth-weight infants. The nonhydroxy fatty acid distribution of cerebrosides indicated a lower proportion of long-chain fatty acids, namely lignoceric (24:0) and nervonic (24:1) acids, in the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata of small-for-date infants, and also in the cerebrum of those weighing < 2000 g. The observed changes in the concentration of cerebrosides and their fatty acid profile point to the possibility of impaired myelinization of the brain in small-for-date infants.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Jamai-Osmania P.O., Hyderabad-500007, A.P., India.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Rao