Nutrition and neurodevelopment: mechanisms of developmental dysfunction and disease in later life

Abstract

Nutrition plays a central role in linking the ®elds of developmental neurobiology and cognitive neuroscience. It has a profound impact on the development of brain structure and function and malnutrition can result in developmental dysfunction and disease in later life. A number of diseases, including schizophrenia, may be related to neurodevelopmental insults such as malnutrition, hypoxia, viruses or in utero drug exposure. Some of the most signi®cant ®ndings on nutrition and neurodevelopment during the last three decades, and especially during the last few years, are discussed in this review. Attention is focused on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms by which diet exerts its effects. Randomized intervention studies have revealed important effects of early nutrition on later cognitive development, and recent epidemiological ®ndings show that both genetics and environment are risk factors for schizophrenia. Particularly important is the effect of early nutrition on development of the hippocampus, a brain structure important in establishing learning and memory, and hence for cognitive performance. A major aim of future research should be to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying nutritionally-induced impairment of neurodevelopment and speci®cally to determine the mechanisms by which early nutritional experience affects later cognitive performance. Key research objectives should include: (1) increased understanding of mechanisms underlying the normal processes of ageing and neurodegenerative disorders; (2) assessment of the role of susceptibility genes in modulating the effects of early nutrition on neurodevelopment; and (3) development of nutritional and pharmaceutical strategies for preventing and/or ameliorating the adverse effects of early malnutrition on long-term programming.

Global undernutrition during gestation influences learning during adult life

“…Prenatal protein malnutrition can also lead to altered patterns of granule cell neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (Debassio, Kemper, Tonkiss, & Galler, 1996) and impairments in establishing long-term potentiation (Bronzino, Austin La France, Morgane, & Galler, 1996). In the hippocampal formation, alterations in function and structure due to the prenatal nutritional insult appear to be permanent and are not reversed by postnatal nutritional rehabilitation (Dauncey & Bicknell, 1999). Gluckman and Hanson (2004) introduced the notion of predictive adaptive responses (PAR).…”

Nutritional influences on cognitive function: mechanisms of susceptibility

“…Chronic malnutrition undoubtedly hinders cognitive development and performance (Kretchmer et al 1996;Dauncey & Bicknell, 1999). However, the present review is not concerned with that literature, nor with the pharmacological effects of ingested substances such as caffeine or alcohol (Rogers, 1995;Bellisle et al 1998); instead, we review the evidence that acute variation in nutritional status, such as through omission of a meal or by eating a meal of particular composition, may influence cognitive performance or arousal.…”

Nutrition–hormone receptor–gene interactions: implications for development and disease

“…Mutants not only exhibit growth retardation and redistribution of adipose tissue but they are less anxious, suggesting direct involvement of GR in emotional behaviour. These findings highlight the importance of GR to development of the nervous system, and are directly relevant to an understanding of mechanisms by which nutrition modulates neurodevelopment and cognitive function (Dauncey & Bicknell, 1999).…”