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Issue: Mar 2008
Prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status: the importance of a balanced intake of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid
Mijna Hadders-Algra, 11Department of Paediatrics – Developmental Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Corresponding author: Mijna Hadders-Algra, MD, PhD Developmental Neurology University of Groningen Medical Centre Hanzeplein 1 9713 GZ Groningen The Netherlands Tel.: +31 50 361 9158 Fax: +31 50 363 6905
[email protected]
Citation Information. Journal of Perinatal Medicine. Volume 36, Issue 2, Pages 101–109, ISSN (Online) 16193997, ISSN (Print) 03005577, DOI: 10.1515/JPM.2008.029, Available online: 23 01 2008 , March 2008
Abstract
This review addresses the effect of prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) status on neurodevelopmental outcome. It focuses on the major LPCUFA doxosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6ω3) and arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4ω6). Due to enzymatic competition high DHA intake results in lower tissue levels of AA.
LCPUFA accumulation in the brain starts early and increases during the third trimester. Initially brain AA-accretion exceeds DHA-accretion; after term age DHA-accretion surpasses AA-accretion.
Animal studies indicated that early ω3-depletion results in poorer developmental outcome. They also showed that early ω3-supplementation had no effect on cognitive outcome, promotes visual development and impairs auditory and motor development. Only limited human data are available.
Correlational studies suggest that neonatal AA status shows a positive relation with early neurodevelopmental outcome and that neonatal DHA status also might be correlated with improved outcome beyond infancy. Results of human intervention studies are equivocal: most studies were unable to demonstrate a positive effect of prenatal ω3-supplementation.
It is concluded that only limited evidence exists to support the notion that prenatal ω3-supplementation favours developmental outcome. Caution is warranted for an unbalanced high DHA intake during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, i.e., DHA without additional AA supplementation.
Keywords Arachidonic acid, brain development, doxosahexaenoic acid, LCPUFA, neurodevelopmental outcome, prenatal nutrition, pregnancy, review, trans-fatty acids