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Jul 14, 2023

Sugar molecule found in breast milk boosts infant brain development

Posted by in categories: food, neuroscience

Breast milk is not simply sustenance. It also is rich in micronutrients that are critical for healthy brain development in infants.

Now, researchers have identified a component of breast milk that promotes how neurons form connections in infants’ brains. Myo-inositol is a small cyclic in breast milk that also is found in a typical adult diet, including in fruits and grains. The study emphasizes the powerful role that what we eat plays in . It was published in PNAS on July 11.

“The effects of micronutrients on the brain are really under-appreciated,” says Thomas Biederer, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology and principal investigator. “As a neuroscientist, our findings were stunning to me.”

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