BACKGROUND: The concentration of sialic acid in brain gangliosides and glycoproteins has been linked to learning ability in animal studies. Human milk is a rich source of sialic acid-containing oligosaccharides and is a potential source of exogenous sialic acid. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the sialic acid concentration in the brain frontal cortex of breastfed and formula-fed infants. DESIGN: Twenty-five samples of frontal cortex derived from infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome were analyzed. Twelve infants were breastfed, 10 infants were formula-fed, and 1 infant was mixed-fed; the feeding status of the remaining 2 infants was unknown. Ganglioside-bound and protein-bound sialic acid were determined by HPLC. Ganglioside ceramide fatty acids were also analyzed to determine the relation between sialic acid and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. RESULTS: After adjustment for sex with age at death as a covariate, ganglioside-bound and protein-bound sialic acid concentrations were 32% and 22% higher, respectively, in the frontal cortex gray matter of breastfed infants than in that of formula-fed infants (P < 0.01). Protein-bound sialic acid increased with age in both groups (P = 0.02). In breastfed but not in formula-fed infants, ganglioside-bound sialic acid correlated significantly with ganglioside ceramide docosahexaenoic acid and total n-3 fatty acids. CONCLUSIONS: Higher brain ganglioside and glycoprotein sialic acid concentrations in infants fed human milk suggests increased synaptogenesis and differences in neurodevelopment.
BACKGROUND: The concentration of sialic acid in brain gangliosides and glycoproteins has been linked to learning ability in animal studies. Human milk is a rich source of sialic acid-containing oligosaccharides and is a potential source of exogenous sialic acid. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the sialic acid concentration in the brain frontal cortex of breastfed and formula-fed infants. DESIGN: Twenty-five samples of frontal cortex derived from infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome were analyzed. Twelve infants were breastfed, 10 infants were formula-fed, and 1 infant was mixed-fed; the feeding status of the remaining 2 infants was unknown. Ganglioside-bound and protein-bound sialic acid were determined by HPLC. Ganglioside ceramide fatty acids were also analyzed to determine the relation between sialic acid and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. RESULTS: After adjustment for sex with age at death as a covariate, ganglioside-bound and protein-bound sialic acid concentrations were 32% and 22% higher, respectively, in the frontal cortex gray matter of breastfed infants than in that of formula-fed infants (P < 0.01). Protein-bound sialic acid increased with age in both groups (P = 0.02). In breastfed but not in formula-fed infants, ganglioside-bound sialic acid correlated significantly with ganglioside ceramidedocosahexaenoic acid and total n-3 fatty acids. CONCLUSIONS: Higher brain ganglioside and glycoprotein sialic acid concentrations in infants fed human milk suggests increased synaptogenesis and differences in neurodevelopment.
Authors: Catherine M Herba; Sabine Roza; Paul Govaert; Albert Hofman; Vincent Jaddoe; Frank C Verhulst; Henning Tiemeier Journal: Matern Child Nutr Date: 2012-11-20 Impact factor: 3.092
Authors: Maarten H Wilbrink; Geert A ten Kate; Sander S van Leeuwen; Peter Sanders; Erik Sallomons; Johannes A Hage; Lubbert Dijkhuizen; Johannis P Kamerling Journal: Appl Environ Microbiol Date: 2014-07-25 Impact factor: 4.792
Authors: Andrew J Tarr; Jeffrey D Galley; Sydney E Fisher; Maciej Chichlowski; Brian M Berg; Michael T Bailey Journal: Brain Behav Immun Date: 2015-07-02 Impact factor: 7.217
Authors: John J Miklavcic; Tasha D L Hart; Gordon M Lees; Glen K Shoemaker; Kareena L Schnabl; Bodil M K Larsen; Oliver F Bathe; Alan B R Thomson; Vera C Mazurak; M Tom Clandinin Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2015-09-21 Impact factor: 5.742