title: The association between linoleic acid levels in colostrum and child cognition at 2 and 3 y in the EDEN cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breastfeeding has been associated with improved cognitive development. This may be explained by polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content of breast milk, especially long-chain (LC) PUFA that are needed for postnatal brain growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from the French EDEN cohort, we aimed to study whether the PUFA content of colostrum may explain observed associations between breastfeeding duration and cognitive scores at 2 and 3 y. A total of 709 breastfed children with available data on PUFA composition of milk were assessed using parent-reported questionnaires for motor and language at 2 y of age, or global cognition at 3 y. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine associations between PUFA levels and child cognitive scores, after controlling for many confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no association between LCPUFA levels in colostrum and child development. However, levels of linoleic acid (LA) were negatively associated with motor and cognitive scores, independently of breastfeeding duration. Children breastfed with the highest levels of LA tended to score closer to the never breastfed children than children breastfed with the lowest levels of LA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that too high levels of LA in colostrum are associated with poorer child development at 2 and 3 y.
authors.affiliation: 1] Inserm U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Villejuif, France [2] UMRS 1018, Univ Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Jonathan Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, CRMBM UMR 7339, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Armand
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, CRMBM UMR 7339, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Cyrielle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: 1] Inserm U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Villejuif, France [2] UMRS 1018, Univ Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forhan
authors.affiliation: 1] Inserm U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Villejuif, France [2] UMRS 1018, Univ Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Agostini
authors.affiliation: 1] Inserm U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Villejuif, France [2] UMRS 1018, Univ Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France [3] Fondation PremUP, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Aline
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.affiliation: 1] Inserm U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Villejuif, France [2] UMRS 1018, Univ Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heude
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D016014:Linear Models; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D019787:Linoleic Acid