title: Long-chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids associate with development of premature infants up to 18 months of age.
abstract: Myelination is important perinatally and highly dependent on long-chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, nowadays often supplemented, inhibit oleic acid synthesis. Using data from a premature cohort, we studied if nervonic, lignoceric and oleic acids correlated to growth and early development up to 18 months corrected age. Small for gestational age infants had lower concentrations than infants appropriate for gestational age. Only oleic acid was negatively correlated to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Oleic and lignoceric acids correlated to social interaction at one month, and nervonic acid to mental, psychomotor and behavioral development at 6, 10 and 18 months, also when adjusted for several confounders. Negative association between oleic acid and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids suggests inhibition of delta-9 desaturase, and nervonic acid´s divergent correlation to lignoceric and oleic acids suggests different metabolism in neonatal period. Our results may have implications for the supplementation of premature infants.
authors: Dept. of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, NOVUM, Hälsovägen 7-9, 14183 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: birgitta.strandvik@ki.se.
authors: Birgitta
authors: B
authors: Strandvik
authors: Dept. of Neonatology, Borås Children׳s Hospital, South Älvsborg׳s Hospital, Borås, Sweden.
authors: Eleni
authors: E
authors: Ntoumani
authors: Skaraborg Institute for Research and Development, Skövde, Sweden; Dept. of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Lundqvist-Persson
authors: Dept. of Neonatology, Borås Children׳s Hospital, South Älvsborg׳s Hospital, Borås, Sweden.
authors: Karl-Göran
authors: KG
authors: Sabel
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000097:blood; D002657:Child Development; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000097:blood; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; C013147:nervonic acid; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases
keywords: Desaturase; Elongase; LCPUFA; Lignoceric acid; Nervonic acid; Oleic acid