A
new study done by Brown University researchers has found additional
evidence that breastfeeding helps in the development of babies'
brains. Sean Deoni, assistant professor of engineering at Brown,
and his researchers have completed the very first study that looked at
the differences associated with breastfeeding in the brains of very
young and healthy children.
The
study used quiet MRI machines that image babies' brains while they
are sleeping. They are able to image the microstructure of the
brain's white matter which is comprised of myelin, a fatty tissue
sheath surrounding nerves that facilitates communication.
Myelination of the nerves in the brain is fundamental to every part
of our intellectual, neurological and physical development in life.
Deoni
and his team looked at 133 babies ranging in age from 10 months to
four years. The participants were randomized for gestation time and
socioeconomic status. The babies were divided into three groups:
those who had been exclusively breastfed for at least three months,
those fed a combination of breast milk and formula and those fed
solely on formula. The researchers also compared older children to
the younger ones to establish growth patterns and trajectories in
white matter for each group.
The
results were quite significant. The group that was exclusively
breastfed showed the fastest growth in myelinated tissue of the three
groups, while the breastfed/formula fed children showed faster growth
in myelin than the formula only fed group, but slower development in
myelinated tissue than the breastfed only group.
“We're
finding the difference (in white matter growth) is on the order of 20
to 30 percent, comparing the breastfed and the non-breastfed kids. I
think it's astounding that you could have that much difference so
early,” stated Deoni.
If
you'd like to read more about this subject, please go to:
http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2013/06/breastfeeding
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