[Literature library] Efficacy of myelin nutrient blend on developmental myelination

3 min read /
General Nutrition Obstetrics / Gynaecology Paediatrics Neuroscience
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This recent study investigated the efficacy of a myelin nutrient blend of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, and sphingomyelin (SM) on developmental myelination in formula-fed term infants. 6-month results from this ongoing study were examined.

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Study Design

  • An ongoing, prospective, longitudinal, two-center, double-blind, randomized controlled investigational trial in neurotypical term-born infants in the USA
     

Subject and Intervention

Control group (n = 39),

  • Fed a bovine milk-based, alpha-lactalbumin enriched infant formula with a standard whey protein concentrate
     

Investigational group (n = 42),

  • Fed a bovine milk-based, alpha-lactalbumin enriched infant formula with a processed whey protein concentrate containing higher levels of SM and phospholipids, supplemented with a blend of DHA, AA, iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid
     

Study Duration

  • From enrollment (2-5 weeks of life) to 12 months of life with follow-up assessments up to 2 years of life
  • Five clinical visits during intervention period at 6 ± 1 week, 3 months ± 2 weeks, 6 months ± 2 weeks, 9 months ± 2 weeks and 12 months ± 2 weeks of life
  • Two follow-up visits at 18 months ± 3 weeks and 24 months ± 4 weeks of life
  • Myelination was measured in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 months and 6 months
     

Results*

Myelin structure,

  • At 3 months, T1 values for occipital and parietal lobe were significantly decreased in the investigational over the control group
  • At 6 months, T1 values for occipital and temporal lobe were significantly decreased in the investigational over the control group
  • No significant differences were found for T2 scans at both 3 months and 6 months of age
     

Myelin volume,

  • Myelin water fraction (MWF) was measured for myelin volume in the study
  • At 3 months, MWF of the temporal lope was statistically larger in the investigational over the control group
  • At 6 months, MWF of the whole brain, cerebellum, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobe were statistically larger in the investigational over the control group
     

Rate of myelination,

  • Longitudinal MWF slopes for investigational group were significantly steeper in corpus callosum (CC) body (p = 0.025), CC genu (p = 0.016), CC splenium (p = 0.017), temporal lobes (p = 0.045), parietal lobes (p = 0.012), occipital lobes (p = 0.0511), and whole brain (p = 0.013) when compared with control
     

Conclusion

The efficacy of the myelin nutrient blend on developmental myelination in the first year of life was demonstrated

 

*Refer to the staged statistical analysis of the 3- and 6-month time points

 

Link to the full article:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.823893/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field=&journalName=Frontiers_in_Nutrition&id=823893


Reference:

Schneider N et al. A nutrient formulation affects developmental myelination in term infants: A randomized clinical trial. Front Nutr 2022.
 

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