The influence of dietary long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCP) supply, and especially of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on evoked potential maturation, was studied in 58 healthy preterm infants using flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs), flash electroretinography (ERG), and brainstem acoustic evoked potentials (BAEPs) at 52 weeks of postconceptional age. At the same time, the fatty acid composition of red blood cell membranes was examined. The infants were fed on breast mlk (n=12), a preterm formula supplemented with LCP (PF-LCP)(n = 21), or a traditional preterm formula (PF)(n= 25). In the breast milk and PF-LCP groups the morphology and latencies of the waves that reflect the visual projecting system were similar; in the PF group the morphology was quite different and the wave latencies were significantly longer.This could mean that the maturation pattern of VEPs in preterm infants who did not receive LCP was slower. Moreover, a higher level of erythrocyte LCP, especially DHA, was found in breast milk and PF-LCP groups compared with the PF group. ERG and BAEP recordings were the same in all three groups.These results suggest that a well balanced LCP supplement in preterm formulas can positively influence the maturation of visual evoked potentials in preterm infants when breast milk is not available. During the third trimester of human fetal growth and the first four to six postnatal months, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) and especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), accumulate in the brain and retina. This coincides with the rapid maturation of the nervous system and photoreceptors."13 Preterm infants may be LCP deficient because of both the lack of intrauterine nutrition in the last months of pregnancy and the relative immaturity of the enzymes necessary to elongate and desaturate their essential fatty acid precursors.4 An LCP supplement, and especially DHA, in preterm formulas improves maturation of rod photoreceptor function and visual acuity in early postnatal development.As far as we know, an evaluation of the influence of infant diet on neurophysiological maturation of flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and low rate brainstem acoustic evoked potentials (BAEPs) has never been carried out. We therefore performed a prospective controlled single blind study on preterm infants to evaluate the effect of LCP, either incorporated into the formula or present in breast milk, on the maturation of flash VEPs, flash electroretinography (ERG), and low rate BAEPs. Moreover, we analysed the fatty acid composition in red blood cell membranes as an index of neural and retinal tissue composition. MethodsSixty six preterm infants were enrolled in the study: they were less than 33 weeks of gestational age, of appropriate weight, and with no malformation that could interfere with somatic and/or psychomotor development. They had no neurological, visual, acoustic or gastroenterological illnesses. None had experienced perinatal asphyxia. All of them had normal fundus oculi. By the 10th day of life all o...

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