title: Neurotrophic Factors and Maternal Nutrition During Pregnancy.
abstract: Maternal nutrition is one of the major determinants of pregnancy outcome. It has been suggested that reduced intakes or lack of specific nutrients during pregnancy influences the length of gestation, proper placental and fetal growth during pregnancy. Maternal nutrition, particularly micronutrients such as folate and vitamin B12, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are the major determinants of the one carbon cycle and are suggested to be at the heart of intrauterine programming of diseases in adult life. LCPUFA play a key role in the normal feto-placental development, as well as in the development and functional maturation of the brain and central nervous system and also regulate the levels of neurotrophic factors. These neurotrophic factors are known to regulate the development of the placenta at the materno-fetal interface and act in a paracrine and endocrine manner. Neurotrophic factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor are proteins involved in angiogenesis and potentiate the placental development. This chapter mainly focuses on micronutrients since they play a main physiological role during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: BioTRaK Research and Diagnostics Centre, Navi Mumbai, India. Electronic address: madhavij14@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dhobale
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055495:Neurogenesis; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: Folic acid; Maternal nutrition; Micronutrients; Neurotrophic factors; Pregnancy outcome; Vitamin B(12)