Food for thought: breast milk boosts brain power

American-based research has discovered a micronutrient in breast milk provides significant benefit to the developing brains of newborns.

The study, of which findings were published last week, included experts from Tufts University, Boston, examining a sugar molecule known as myo-inositol, which is most prominent in human breast milk during the first month of lactation.

Researchers profiled and compared human milk samples collected across sites in Mexico City, Shanghai, and Cincinnati by the Global Exploration of Human Milk study, which included healthy mothers of young infants.

In addition, further testing using rodent models as well as human neurons showed myo-inositol increased both the size and number of synaptic connections between neurons in the developing brain, indicating stronger connectivity.

‘Forming and refining brain connectivity from birth is guided by genetic and environmental forces as well as by human experiences,’ said Thomas Biederer, senior author of the study.

According to researchers, diet significantly impacts the brain within early childhood years, this is due to the blood-barrier being more permeable, meaning small molecules taken in as food can easily pass from the blood to the brain.

‘As a neuroscientist, it’s intriguing to me how profound the effects of micronutrients are on the brain,’ says Biederer. ‘It’s also amazing how complex and rich human breast milk is, and I now think it is conceivable that its composition is dynamically changing to support different stages of infant brain development.’

Against this backdrop, more research has been completed within this area. Previous experts have shown brain inositol levels decline over time as infants develop. In adults, lower than normal brain inositol levels have been found in patients with major depressive disorders and bipolar disease.

Following this, genetic alterations in myo-inositol transporters have been linked to schizophrenia. In contrast, in people with Down’s syndrome and patients with Alzheimer’s disease and Down’s syndrome, higher than normal accumulations of myo-inositol have been identified.

‘The current research does indicate that for circumstances where breastfeeding is not possible, it may be beneficial to increase the levels of myo-inositol in infant formula,’ Biederer said.

Despite this, experts have claimed it is too soon to recommend adults consume more myo-inositol, which can be found in significant quantities in certain grains, beans, bran, citrus fruits, and cantaloupe.

Concluding the teams research, Biederer said: ‘My colleagues…and I are now pursuing research to test how micronutrients like myo-inositol may impact cells and connectivity in the aging brain.

‘We hope this work leads to a better understanding of how dietary factors interplay with age-related brain aberrations.’

Image: Anita Jankovic