Maternal fat-soluble vitamins, brain development and regulation of feeding behavior: an overview of research

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 36; no. 10; pp. 1045 - 1054
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Hernández, Diana, Anderson, G. Harvey, Poon, Abraham N, Pannia, Emanuela, Cho, Clara E, Huot, Pedro S.P, Kubant, Ruslan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-10-2016
• Subjects: Animals; Appetite Regulation; Behavior; Brain; Brain - drug effects; Brain - growth & development; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Humans; Intake; Pregnancy; Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - pharmacology; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - pharmacology; Vitamin E; Vitamin E - pharmacology; Vitamin K; Vitamin K - pharmacology; Vitamins - pharmacology; Retinoic Acid Receptors; LHA; apoE; human-equivalent intake; PVN; Proopiomelanocortin; VKDPs; RXR; Pomc; Lateral Hypothalamus; Apolipoprotein E; Npy; Cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated Transcript; AgRP; behavior; GD; Arcuate Nucleus; Cart; brain development; Vitamin K-dependent Proteins; Neuropeptide Y; Dopamine Transporter; Retinoic Acid; Growth Arrest-specific Gene 6; vitamin A; vitamin D; vitamin E; Pareventricular Nuclei; vitamin K; RA; Dopamine Receptor; Retinoid X Receptor; Gestational Day; ARC; RARs; Dat; Drd; Agouti-related Peptide; Gas6; food intake; Brain; VTA; PND; NTS; Vitamin A; Vitamin D; Vitamin E; Intake; Behavior; Vitamin K; DMN; VMN
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2016.09.009

Abstract Recent research shows a link between vitamin intake during pregnancy and offspring health. Inadequate intakes of water soluble vitamins during pregnancy lead to obesity and characteristics of the metabolic syndrome, concurrent with altered developments in food intake regulatory pathways. Few studies, however, have reported on the effects of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) on the development of food intake regulatory pathways. The majority of studies to date have focused on associations between inadequate and high intakes of folic acid and vitamin D and neurocognitive development of the offspring. Hence, the objective of this review is to present an evaluation of the role of maternal vitamins A, D, E and K in brain development and function of neural pathways that regulate feeding behaviors. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched from 1975 through September, 2016. The majority of studies supporting a role for fat-soluble vitamins in regulating brain development and associated behaviors have been conducted in animal and cell models, leaving uncertain their relevance to neurocognitive development and function in humans. Nevertheless, although current research on defining the role of maternal fat-soluble vitamins in offspring's brain development is limited, it is sufficient to warrant further investigations on their impact when intake amounts during pregnancy are not only inadequate but also exceed requirements.