Neurodevelopmental outcomes and nutritional strategies in very low birth weight infants.
The developing brain of the very low birth weight (VLBW) infant is highly sensitive to effects of the nutritional milieu during the neonatal hospitalization and after discharge. Strategies to optimize nutritional care play an important role in reducing long-term neurodevelopmental morbidities in this population. Currently available interventions to ensure that the unique nutrient requirements of the VLBW infant are met include various dietary fortification strategies and parenteral nutrition. In this article, we review evidence regarding nutritional strategies and their beneficial effects on neurodevelopment in VLBW infants. We also highlight gaps in current knowledge and areas of current investigation that hold promise for improving nutritional care and long-term outcomes.
Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: mbrown9@partners.org.
Mandy Brown
MB
Belfort
Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Richard A
RA
Ehrenkranz
D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*
Human milk; Infant formula; Neurodevelopment; Nutrition; Parenteral nutrition; Very low birth weight infant