ABSTRACT
The role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the function of the brain and retina is an area of active research. Docosahexaenoic acid was reported to exert a beneficial effect on neuronal maturation and visual development in breastfed infants. The formation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [LC-PUFAs] from the parent essential patty acids in early life is limited, thus infants are dependent on the exogenous provision of LC-PUFAs from human milk or supplemented formula. The objective of this analytical cross sectional study is to further delineate the mode of feeding and its impact on visual and neural maturation of term infants at 6 months of age, and to assess the influence of various socioeconomic and demographic factors upon this process. This work was conducted on 40 infants [26 males and 14 females], their ages ranged from 22 to 26 weeks with a mean of 23.88 +/- 1.5 weeks. They were recruited from the general, neonatal, and breastfeeding clinics at Center for Social and Preventive Medicine [CSPM], Cairo University. Proper history taking, thorough clinical examination, and neurophysiologic studies including flash visual evoked potential [FVEP], and brain stem auditory evoked potential [BAEP] were done for all infants. According to their mode of feeding, infants were divided into 2 groups: Group A, consisted of 20 infants with exclusive breastfeeding, and Group B, consisted of 20 infants with complementary feeding. Results revealed that the visual and neural functions were relatively more mature in the exclusively breastfed infants when compared to the complementary-fed infants, although the differences didn't reach statistically significant levels in the majority of test results. In addition, better results in favor of the first and second birth orders were obtained in most test results, but again they didn't reach statistically significant differences in most tests. There were no or weak relevant associations between the results of the neurophysiologic studies and baseline characteristics of our infants. In conclusion, FVEP and BAEP were more mature in exclusively breastfed infants relative to complementary-fed infants at B months of age, and thus exploring the advantage of breast milk In earlier development and maturation of visual and neural functions than complementary feds during early life. Our results support the World Health Assembly resolution, 2002 of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life