Effects of Human Milk on Neurodevelopment

The fastest period of brain development occurs during the fetal and neonatal periods, and understanding the impact of factors related to brain development during the neonatal period can play a role in improving cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional abilities. As the best source of nutrition, human milk can play a role in preventing developmental disorders and improving brain function through various mechanisms. Breast milk can positively affect the neurodevelopment of infants through three mechanisms. The first role is related to the nutritional factors in breast milk that can affect the development of the nervous system. The second role is caused by nonnutritional factors in breast milk that affect the development of the infant by regulating brain function. The third mechanism is related to how the infant is placed in the mother’s arms and the stimulation of the infant’s different senses. This chapter will briefly discuss these three mechanisms.