S104. Effect of perinatal nutrition on child pattern reversal visual evoked potentials

Abstract

Early fatty acids status may impact child neurodevelopment. The aim was to investigate the associations of maternal diet and serum fatty acids during pregnancy and in early infancy on child’s neurodevelopment as reflected in visual system function. The second aim was to gather laboratory specific reference values for pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (pVEPs) recordings in small children. pVEPs were recorded from 56 children at 2 years of age. Maternal nutrient intakes were calculated from food diaries and fish consumption from questionnaires. Serum phospholipid fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography in late pregnancy and from infants at 1 month of age. The children of the women who consumed fish three or more times per week during the last trimester of pregnancy had higher pVEP component P100 amplitude for 60′ (mean 23.4, SD 8.1) and 30′ (mean 20.4, SD 6.7) of arc minute check sizes compared to those who consumed fish 0–2 times per week (mean 15.0, SD 4.8, p = 0.023 and mean 13.4, SD 2.0, p = 0.028; respectively). Maternal and child serum phospholipid fatty acids were found to correlate with child pVEP measurements. Our results suggest that fish consumption during pregnancy and perinatal serum fatty acid status may contribute to neurodevelopment within the visual system during infancy. In addition, the study provides laboratory specific normative reference values for child pVEP measurements.