title: Maternal fat-soluble vitamins, brain development, and regulation of feeding behavior: an overview of research.
abstract: Recent research shows a link between vitamin intake during pregnancy and offspring health. Inadequate intakes of water-soluble vitamins during pregnancy lead to obesity and characteristics of the metabolic syndrome, concurrent with altered developments in food intake regulatory pathways. Few studies, however, have reported on the effects of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) on the development of food intake regulatory pathways. The majority of studies to date have focused on associations between inadequate and high intakes of folic acid and vitamin D and neurocognitive development of the offspring. Hence, the objective of this review is to present an evaluation of the role of maternal vitamins A, D, E, and K in brain development and function of neural pathways that regulate feeding behaviors. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched from 1975 through September, 2016. Most studies supporting a role for fat-soluble vitamins in regulating brain development and associated behaviors have been conducted in animal and cell models, leaving uncertain their relevance to neurocognitive development and function in humans. Nevertheless, although current research on defining the role of maternal fat-soluble vitamins in offspring's brain development is limited, it is sufficient to warrant further investigations on their impact when intake amounts during pregnancy are not only inadequate but also exceed requirements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2; Biotechnology Center, School of Engineering and Sciences, Tec de Monterrey, Ave. Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, NL, Mexico, CP 64849. Electronic address: sanchez.diana@itesm.mx.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2; Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2. Electronic address: harvey.anderson@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: G Harvey
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2. Electronic address: abepoon87@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abraham N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2. Electronic address: e.pannia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pannia
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2. Electronic address: clara.cho@usu.edu.
authors.forename: Clara E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2. Electronic address: pedro.huot@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro S P
authors.initials: PSP
authors.lastname: Huot
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E2. Electronic address: ruslan.kubant@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Ruslan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kubant
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001069:Appetite Regulation; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014801:Vitamin A; D014812:Vitamin K; D014807:Vitamin D; D014810:Vitamin E
keywords: Behavior; Brain; Intake; Vitamin A; Vitamin D; Vitamin E; Vitamin K