Infant vision and retinal function in studies of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids : methods, results, and implications

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 71; no. 1; pp. 256S - 267S
• Main Author: NEURINGER, M
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Clinical Nutrition 2000; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: Babies; Biological and medical sciences; Dietary Fats - metabolism; Docosahexaenoic Acids - metabolism; Electroretinography; Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision; Eyes & eyesight; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant; Infant Food; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Nutrition; Retina - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Vision, Ocular - physiology; Visual Acuity - physiology; Human; Long chain; Estimation; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Visual acuity; Infant; Retina; Review; n-3 fatty acid; Feeding; Eye; Visual system; Diet; Vision; Development; Unsaturated fatty acid
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/71.1.256s

Animal and human studies have documented several effects of different dietary and tissue concentrations of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) on retinal function and vision. The enhanced visual development associated with increased intakes of LCPUFAs, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), provides the strongest evidence for the importance of these fatty acids in infant nutrition. The 2 primary visual measures used to assess the efficacy of infant formula LCPUFA supplementation are the electroretinogram and visual acuity. This review briefly describes the methodology, neural basis, and interpretation of these measures, as well as other measures of visual development that may be used to extend the functional evaluation of infants fed formulas with different fatty acid compositions.