Journal of Pediatric Psychology Advance Access originally published online on August 24, 2005
Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2006 31(2):221-226; doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsj069
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Brief Report: Newborn Behavior Differs with Decosahexaenoic Acid Levels in Breast Milk
1 Texas Tech University and 2 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Sybil L. Hart, PhD, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409-1162. E-mail: sybil.hart{at}ttu.edu.
Objective To assess whether natural variations in decosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels in breast milk would relate to infant neurobehavioral outcomes at the newborn stage following equivocal findings on infant and toddler outcomes of exposure to DHA in formula and breast milk. Methods Breast milk samples from N = 20 mothers were collected 9 days after delivery, while the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) was administered on the infant. Milk samples were later analyzed for fatty acids, including DHA. Results Pearson correlations revealed a positive association between DHA concentrations in breast milk and infants scores on the NBAS Range of State cluster score, suggesting that DHA is related to the infants superior ability to maintain optimal arousal. Conclusions These results suggest that breast milk DHA is beneficial to the neonates neurobehavioral functioning and call for investigative attention to DHAs role in potentiating optimized intellectual functioning at later stages of development. The findings may also be interpreted as supporting formula supplementation with DHA.
Key words: breast milk; DHA; fatty acids; NBAS; neonates.
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