This is an automatically translated article.
The role of nutrition in the development of the child's nervous system and brain is of great interest to many parents. Through the article below, let's learn about the process of forming a child's nervous system and how to provide good nutrients for the nervous system to help children develop the most comprehensively.
1. Overview of the child's nervous system
At birth, a newborn's brain has up to 14 billion neurons similar to adults. However, it is not until the age of 8 that the cells are fully differentiated. During the first years of life, the nervous system of a child develops rapidly in terms of weight. Specifically, an infant's brain weighs about 400g when it's 1 year old weighs from 900-1000g; until 8 years old weighs 1200-1300g and when mature is 1400g. This is the result of myelinization of neural organizations and cortical changes. So what is myelination?
Myelinization is the process by which fat gradually surrounds nerves, causing weight and brain structure to change. This process begins at the 4th month of the fetus, continues after the baby is born and gradually completes by the time the child is 8 years old. The period from birth to 2 years old is when the process of myelination is strongest and brain weight also increases fastest. Accordingly, this process plays an important role in the development and maturation of the nervous system, to the point that neurons will not function if not fully myelinated.
Delayed myelinization will cause children to have mental and motor retardation such as speech delay, walking delay, reduced cognitive ability compared to peers.
Chậm đi là một dấu hiệu của bệnh lý chậm myelin
2. Good nutrients for children's nervous system
Here are 2 types of nutrients that develop children's nervous system:2.1. Fat
Myelinization specifically requires fat to help develop nerve tissue. Usually in the first years of life, babies who are breastfed have better nervous system development because breast milk is rich in lipids, containing many types of fatty acids, including saturated fatty acids (such as a.palmitic, a.myristic). , a.stearic, a.butyric) and unsaturated fatty acids (such as a.oleic, a.linolenic, a. arachidonic (ARA), a.linoleic, a.docosahexaenoic (DHA))... Especially, In breast milk lipids are in complex form, when combined with phosphates, they form Phospholipids or Sphingolipids (such as Sphingomyelin). Sphingomyelin makes up 40% of the total amount of Phospholipids in breast milk and is a basic component of the myelin sheath surrounding nerves, helping to conduct nerve impulses and signals across cell membranes into cells.
Thus, Sphingomyelin plays the role of a nervous system development nutrient that is especially important for the brain development of young children.
MORE: Things to know about Choline
Trẻ được nuôi bằng sữa mẹ sẽ có hệ thần kinh phát triển
2.2. Choline
To synthesize fat Sphingomyelin requires Choline, a nutrient that has similar effects to vitamins and is necessary to maintain the function and activity of cells in the body. Choline's precursor is Acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that mediates and contributes to memory storage. In addition, choline also plays a role in fat metabolism, so if children lack choline, fat will be stored in the liver.
Because Sphingomyelin and Choline are both nutrients for the development of the nervous system, which are important for the formation and development of children's intelligence. Therefore, parents need to add these two substances to the diet of pregnant women so that the mother can supplement nutrients for her baby through her blood. At the same time, in order for children to enhance intellectual development, Sphingomyelin and Choline should also be provided to children's meals through daily food.
Currently, many foods for pregnant women and children have also been fortified with Sphingomyelin, Choline - all nutrients that are especially important for the development and brain formation of children.
Choline giúp tổng hợp được chất béo Sphingomyelin
