Brain Development

Myelination – the process in which neuronal axons are wrapped in a lipid-rich sheath – ensures fast, efficient and synchronized communication between neurons and thus facilitates information processing. Studies suggest a direct link between myelination and brain maturation and cognitive development, i.e. white matter development in specific regions of the brain is correlated with the onset of developmental milestones. Myelination has also been correlated with the development of cognitive skills, e.g. general cognitive ability, language and reading, working memory, processing speed and sensory reactivity. Sphingomyelin, which is particularly rich in the myelin sheath, supports myelin integrity and function, and axonal maturation. Higher levels of dietary sphingomyelin in the first three months of life has been significantly associated with verbal development in the first two years of life, as well as higher levels of myelin content at 12-24 months, delayed onset, and/or more prolonged rates of myelination in different brain areas. These findings suggest early life provision of dietary sphingomyelin may contribute to learning and development, through its role in supporting myelination. Part 1 lecture with Prof Berthold Koletzko

Dr Lenders walks through various aspects of brain development during the first 1000 days of life, where key nutrients provide the foundation for normal brain growth and development. Optimal nutrition can impact and promote brain functioning, the different activities of the brain associated with information processing, cognition and mental processing, enhancing executive functions and higher cognitive skills as well as energy homeostasis. Discover how the brain’s structural foundation is built, along with the vast number of brain cells and its connections, during this sensitive window of time of the first 1000 days. This video was offered as part of the Post Graduate Program in Pediatrics (PGPN), is developed with Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and supported by Wyeth Nutrition Science Center.

A child’s brain undergoes rapid and profound development in the first few years of life – more than at any other time in his lifetime. In this article, Dr Nora Schneider, a cognitive scientist, shares insights on infant brain development and the importance of myelination in cognitive development. She also discusses the evolving pool of evidence suggesting that dietary sphingomyelin supplementation during early life may positively impact cognitive outcomes.