- Understanding the dynamics of brain development in relation to influencing factors is critical for identifying and studying early life interventions, such as nutritional opportunities.
- The high metabolic demand and the high degree of plasticity make early life a sensitive period for nutritional impact.
- The non-homogenous temporal and spatial development of the brain leads to the need of nutritional intervention to be concomitant with age and stage of brain development.
- Scientific publications of brain-nutrient findings by age are scarce for toddlers and preschool children compared to infants and school-aged children.
- For ages one to five, observation and intervention studies have mostly explored the impact of nutrients on motor, cognitive and social-emotional benefits in stunted, autistic, or nutrient deficient populations, e.g., for iron, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, folic acid, spirulina and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- No link was made to brain developmental dynamics, nor is the data conclusive for healthy development.
Myelination
- Myelination of cerebral axons begins in utero and continues into the 2nd and 3rd decades of life.
- It advances particularly rapidly over the first 2 years of life following a specific posterior to anterior pattern and in close interplay with emerging neurobehavioral development.
- Increasing evidence suggests alterations in myelin trajectories based on health and environmental factors.
- As well as differences between formula-fed and breast-fed children.
- Differences in myelin development may be linked to developmental outcomes, as myelination has been linked to cognitive and social-emotional development in young children.
