Seafood Intake and Neurodevelopment: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Exposure to fish intake is of particular interest for neurodevelopment. Seafood contains nutrients that are essential for brain development and function. Seafood is also a potential source of well-established neurotoxic pollutants. We conducted a systematic search of the literature to review human studies on seafood intake and neurodevelopment. We identified 16 studies, most of them prospective cohort studies with prenatal and postnatal seafood intake exposure assessed through food frequency questionnaires. Most studies found positive associations with neurodevelopment outcomes, without particularly stronger associations for specific developmental areas (general, cognitive, and behavioral). Some studies observed an inverted U-shape association in relation with higher seafood-intake frequency. A few reports assessed type of seafood but no clear pattern was disentangled. In conclusion, seafood intake during pregnancy and postnatal periods seems to be beneficial to a wide range of neurodevelopment outcomes, with some potential risk at higher levels. Although studies adjusted for a variety of sociodemographic factors, residual confounding is possible. Larger prospective studies are required to define which seafood species are more important for neurodevelopment while minimizing the potential neurotoxic effect of the related pollutants.