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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #195499
Title: EEG POWER SPECTRAL CHANGES IN BREAST FED, MILK-FORMULA FED OR SOY-FORMULA FED INFANTS IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF LIFE

Author
item JING, HONGKUI - ACNC
item PIVIK, R - ACNC
item Gilchrist, Janet
item BADGER, THOMAS - ACNC

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/6/2006
Publication Date: 3/27/2006
Citation: Jing, H., Pivik, R.T., Gilchrist, J.M., Badger, T.M. 2006. EEG power spectral changes in breast fed, milk-formula fed or soy-formula fed infants in the first 6 months of life. The FASEB Journal. 20(4):A598.

Interpretive Summary: Changes in brain activity during the first six months after birth were studied in babies fed breast milk or formula (milk or soy). Our data showed that babies in the formula groups had greater changes in the size of brain signals than those fed breast milk, and these changes were greater in boys than girls. The meaning of these differences for later behavior is unclear at this time.

Technical Abstract: Effects of infant soy formula (SF) on brain maturation in the first 6 months of life were investigated in full-term infants by comparing spectral power of resting EEGs. Recordings (124 electrode sites on the scalp) were obtained from 38 breast fed (BF), 47 milk formula fed (MF) and 32 soy formula fed (SF) infants. Longitudinal EEG data were recorded monthly from the same subjects from 3 months to 6 months. Mean power was calculated for 4 frequency bands (<3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 Hz). The maximal absolute power was observed in the frontal and central areas in both hemispheres in all 3 groups for each band. The power gradually increased across age in all subjects; however, the increase in the 3-6 Hz band was more pronounced in the SF and MF groups than in the BF group, and this effect was seen in male infants only (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the MF and SF infants on these EEG measures. Our data suggest that the development of brain physiological functions, as reflected by resting EEG spectral power, is affected by infant diets within the first 6 months after birth.