The Effects of an Infant Formula Enriched with Milk Fat Globule Membrane, Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Synbiotics on Child Behavior up to 2.5 Years Old: The COGNIS Study

Abstract

Although early life nutrition influences brain development and mental health, the long-term effects of supplemented infant formula on children´s behavior remain unclear. We analyzed the effects of a bioactive nutrients-enriched-infant formula on children’s behavior up to 2.5 years, compared to a standard infant formula or breastfeeding. Current analysis involved 70 children who were fed a standard infant formula (SF, n = 29) or a bioactive compounds enriched-infant formula (EF, n = 41), during their first 18 months of life, and 33 breastfed (BF) children (reference group) participating in the COGNIS study. Behavioral problems were evaluated using the Child Behavior Checklist at 18 months and 2.5 years. Different statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. EF children aged 2.5 years presented fewer pathological affective problems than SF children. Besides, SF children were classified more frequently as bordering on internalizing problems than BF children. Rates of externalizing problems were increased in SF infants compared to EF and BF infants. Higher maternal IQ was found to have beneficial effects on internalizing and total problem rate in their offspring at 18 months of life; finally, higher maternal educational level was related with fewer ADHD problems in children at 18 months, as well as internalizing, externalizing, total and anxiety problems in children aged 2.5 years. Our analysis suggests that enriched infant formula fed infants seem to show fewer behavioral problems up to 2.5 years compared to a standard infant formula-fed infants. In addition to type of early feeding, maternal IQ and educational level seem to play a key role on children behavioral development.

Infant Formula Supplemented With Milk Fat Globule Membrane, Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, and Synbiotics Is Associated With Neurocognitive Function and Brain Structure of Healthy Children Aged 6 Years: The COGNIS Study

“…Nonetheless, the current study has a series of limitations that must be considered. At the beginning of the study, there were no differences between infant formula groups regarding baseline characteristics (27). However, there were differences in parents' age, educational level, and socioeconomic status in the BF group with respect to infant formula groups.…”

“…Consequently, great efforts have been made to enrich or supplement infant formulas with bioactive nutrients found in breast milk to narrow nutritional and functional gaps between both types of infant feeding (13). We have previously reported both short-and long-term positive effects of this infant formula supplemented with bioactive nutrients, including MFGM, LC-PUFAs, and synbiotics, on brain maturation and function assessed as visual function and language development at 18 months of life and 4 years, respectively (27,57). In addition to these benefits, the current study also suggests that supplemented infant formula seems to have a beneficial impact on child neurocognitive development at 6 years old.…”

“…The current analysis included 108 children aged 6 years and participating in the COGNIS Project, a prospective, randomized, and double-blind study consisting in a nutritional intervention based on an infant formula supplemented with bioactive nutrients (registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02094547?term=NCT02094547&draw=2&rank=1 , Identifier: NCT02094547). Detailed information on this project, including study design, subject recruitment, and population characteristics, have been previously described ( 27 , 28 ). Originally, a total of 220 full-term healthy Spanish infants were included in the study.…”

“…One hundred seventy infants, aged between 0 and 2 months old, were randomized (ratio 1:1) to receive, during their first 18 months of life, either a standard infant formula (SF: n = 85) or an experimental infant formula (EF: n = 85) enriched with MFGM components [10% of total protein content (wt:wt)], synbiotics [Fructooligosaccharides (FOS): Inulin proportion 1:1; Bifidobacterium longum subsp infantis CECT7210 ( Bifidobacterium infantis IM1) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LCS-74], LC-PUFAs (including DHA and ARA), gangliosides, nucleotides, and sialic acid. A full description of the nutritional composition of both infant formulas has been previously reported ( 28 ). Infants received initiation formula up to 6 months of age and the corresponding follow-on formula between 6 and 18 months of age.…”

Brain–immune–gut benefits with early life supplementation of milk fat globule membrane

“…Multiple reports have associated the positive effects of different MFGM bioactive components (in human and bovine milk) with cognitive and immunity development of infants, without impairing their growth. [35][36][37][38][39][40][41] A randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 160 healthy term infants <2 months old compared standard formula (SF) to a formula containing bovine MFGM (Lactoprodan MFGM-10, Arla Foods Ingredients) (experimental formula, EF). The infants were fed formula exclusively up to age 6 months, and followed up until 12 months.…”