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Brain development and assessing the supply of polyunsaturated fatty acid

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Lipids

Abstract

Membrane lipids are necessary for structure and function of the developing nervous system. Rapid synthesis of brain tissue occurs during the last trimester of development of the human brain and the early postnatal weeks. This synthesis of brain structure involves the formation of complex lipids, many of which contain significant quantities of chain-elongated desaturated homologs of essential fatty acids. The present report discusses the implications of change in nutritional status on processes of brain development and metabolic events that involve lipids.

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  1. Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    M. T. Clandinin

  2. Nutrition and Metabolism Research Group, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, University of Alberta, T6G 2P5, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    M. T. Clandinin

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Clandinin, M.T. Brain development and assessing the supply of polyunsaturated fatty acid. Lipids 34, 131–137 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-999-0347-y

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