Abstract
It is widely known that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), are major components in the brain and retina, I structures, and that nutrition plays an important role in the normal development of the neural system. In particular, n-3 PUFA including DHA has received a great deal of attention, since it was demonstrated that the nutrition is a key factor for the development of neural functions in infants. Several experimentally controlled studies have demonstrated an effect of LCPUFA supplementation during prenatal and postnatal periods on the development of infant cognitive functions. Those studies assessed specific cognitive functions, such as visual attention and problem solving ability, and the results consistently showed a positive effect of LCPUFA intake on infant cognitive functions at an early stage of their development. Having joined an ongoing research project by Dr. Peter Willatts at the University of Dundee, which focuses on the effects of LCPUFA on infant cognitive development, I studied various practical assessment methods for infant cognitive development. This article reviews the effect of LCPUFA on the development of infant neural functions and also introduces some of the most up-to-date tools to assess infant cognitive development.
