Maternal Nutrition and Child Neurodevelopment

Early life environment is associated with offspring neurodevelopment. Maternal under- or over-nutrition and food choices may influence fetal neurodevelopment directly or indirectly. The role of maternal nutritional factors in fetal development was one of the important research topics during the twentieth century. During fetal neurodevelopment, adequate micronutrient and macronutrient intake is required. Thus, a fetus may be more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies. Prenatal nutrition may change developmental processes including synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and dendritic arborization. Over-nutrition, such as high-fat and carbohydrate diets, is correlated with inflammatory processes that can be detrimental to offspring brain development. Current evidence has demonstrated that single-nutrient supplementation is less adequate than supplementation with more complex formulae. However, the determination of the optimal content of micronutrient supplements and their long-term impacts on child neurodevelopment requires more investigation. The objective of the present chapter is to provide a background and update on the current knowledge related to maternal nutrition and child neurodevelopment.