Neurodevelopment disease

Connor WE The beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids cardiovascular disease and neurodevelopment. Curr Opin Lipidol 1997 8 1. 

In a statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Paediatric Society did not recommend the routine use of systemic dexamethasone for the prevention or treatment of chronic lung disease in infants with very low birthweights, because it does not reduce overall mortality and is associated with impaired growth and neurodevelopment delay (368,369). 

Neurotrophins, such as nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), are implicated in neuronal development, growth, plasticity, and maintenance of function. Neurodevelopment is impaired in schizophrenia and vulnerable schizophrenic brains may be more sensitive to toxic influences. Thus, cannabis may be more neurotoxic to schizophrenic brains than to nonschizophrenic brains when used chronically. In 157 drug-naive first-episode schizophrenic patients there were significantly raised BDNF serum concentrations by up to 34% in patients with chronic cannabis abuse or multiple substance abuse before the onset of the disease (114). Thus, raised BDNF serum concentrations are not related to schizophrenia and /or substance abuse itself but may reflect cannabis-related idiosyncratic damage to the schizophrenic brain. Disease onset was 5.2 years earlier in the cannabis-consuming group. 

Menkes disease is a rare X-linked recessive disease of copper metabolism, the frequency of which has been estimated at between 0.8 and 2 per 100000 live male births (Tonnesen et al. 1991). Clinical manifestations begin in the first few months of life, or even in the neonatal period. Symptoms include hypothermia, hypotonia, poor weight gain, seizures, and neurodevelop-mental delay or regression. The outcome is poor, with death occurring usually by three years of age. Diagnostic characteristics include facial appearance with steely hair, and reduced levels of serum ceruloplasmin and copper (Menkes 1999, Jayawant etal. 

Multiple health organizations endorse breastfeeding as the optimal form of nutrition for human infants because of its potential advantages to the infant, including prevention of infectious diseases and its role in neurodevelopment. Despite these recommendations, the vast majority of infants worldwide are fed infant formulas (e.g., liquid or reconstituted powders) at some point in their first year of life, whether as their sole source of nutrition or in combination with human milk, supplemental foods, or both. Infant formulas have been modified over the years to improve flavor, increase shelf life and, recently, to mirror the composition of human milk and the performance of breastfeeding. 

C8 Science Panel (20121) Probable link evaluation of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. C8 Probable Link Reports. http //www.c8sciencepanel.org/pdfs/Probable Link C8 Neurodevelopment 30Jul2012.pdf. Accessed on 17 Jun 2013 C8 Science Panel (2012g) Probable link evaluation of thyroid disease. C8 Probable Link Reports. htqi //www.c8sciencepanel.org/pdfs/Probable Link C8 Thyroid 30Jul2012.pdf. Accessed on 17 Jun 2013... 

---