Optimum Nutrition for the Developing Brain

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) including Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Arachidonic acid (ARA), are key building blocks in the brain and should be a part of diet throughout infancy and later childhood. High levels of DHA concentrated in the brain cortex promote synthesis of synaptic membranes and increase the quantity of dendritic spines. In infants, there is a rapid uptake of DHA in the frontal cortex, which influences problem solving and control of attention.