Research shows nutrition strongly influences rapid brain structure development during the first months of life. Scientists at the University of Illinois have studied neonatal piglets as a model for human brain and cognitive development to investigate how specific milk components affect early neurodevelopment.
Human breast milk is widely regarded as the best source of infant nutrition, but breastfeeding is not always possible. Manufacturers of pediatric nutrition therefore study human milk components to learn which ingredients support healthy growth and brain development when added to infant formulas.
A recent University of Illinois study found that adding a combination of prebiotics, milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), and lactoferrin to a formula already containing DHA and ARA produced measurable differences in brain development in piglets. DHA and ARA are omega fatty acids commonly included in modern infant formulas; the study evaluated whether supplementing those formulas with MFGM, lactoferrin, and prebiotics would further support neurodevelopment.
Ryan Dilger, assistant professor of nutritional sciences and a co-author, explained that MFGM and lactoferrin are naturally present in both human and bovine milk and have been reported independently to benefit brain development in animal models. Prebiotics were included because growing evidence links intestinal microbiome composition to development of the enteric and central nervous systems.
Austin Mudd, the study’s lead author, noted that the researchers formulated the test diet to mimic human milk composition as closely as possible. “The goal of early-life nutrition research is to bring formula closer to the composition and function of human milk,” he said.
The team compared two groups of piglets fed from 2 to 31 days of age: a TEST group receiving the supplemented formula (prebiotics, MFGM, lactoferrin plus DHA/ARA) and a CONT group receiving a control formula with DHA and ARA only. At 30 days the piglets underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and a subset completed spatial memory testing in a T‑maze beginning at 17 days of age.
While behavioral differences in the T‑maze were limited, neuroimaging revealed notable structural differences. The most compelling finding was evidence suggesting faster myelination in piglets fed the supplemented diet. Myelin is the fatty insulating sheath that surrounds axons and increases the speed and efficiency of neural signaling—rapid myelination during infancy supports early motor and language milestones, such as learning to reach, walk, and talk.
Mudd explained that MFGM contains specialized lipids also found in myelin, which could help supply the fats needed for myelin assembly or facilitate their transport into the developing brain. Although the study did not measure myelin directly, reductions in radial diffusivity (RD) measured by DTI in the internal capsule were consistent with increased axonal insulation and myelination.
The internal capsule is an early-maturing white matter region that connects sensory and motor pathways to the rest of the brain and body. The researchers observed decreases in RD and mean diffusivity in this region for TEST piglets compared with CONT piglets, indicating more restricted water movement and microstructural maturation often associated with myelination. Voxel-based morphometry also showed differences in cortical gray and white matter concentrations between groups.
Dilger said these imaging results establish a working hypothesis that the supplemented diet accelerates myelination in specific brain regions. Mudd added that piglet brain development maps closely to human infant timelines: approximately one week of pig brain growth at this stage corresponds to one month of human infant brain development. Because the internal capsule matures early in infancy, the differences seen at four weeks in piglets align with developmental stages in human infants between two and four months of age.
The researchers caution that further work is needed to confirm a causal relationship between the added ingredients and myelination. Future studies planned at the Piglet Nutrition and Cognition Lab will include more sensitive behavioral tests, direct biochemical or histological measurements of myelin, and longer follow-up to determine whether earlier differences translate into broader developmental benefits.
This article was submitted directly to NeuroscienceNews.com by Austin Mudd.
Funding: Funding for the study was provided by Mead Johnson Nutrition.
Source: University of Illinois. Original peer‑reviewed research published in Frontiers in Pediatrics described the effects of dietary prebiotics, milk fat globule membrane, and lactoferrin on structural neurodevelopment in the young piglet.
Abstract
Dietary Prebiotics, Milk Fat Globule Membrane, and Lactoferrin Affect Structural Neurodevelopment in the Young Piglet
Introduction: Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and lactoferrin are milk components with potential roles in brain development. Some formula ingredients exist within human milk ranges but may not be at optimal levels for neurodevelopment; lactoferrin is typically lower in formula. This study evaluated a novel combination of bovine-derived MFGM, lactoferrin, and prebiotics added to a formula containing DHA and ARA to assess effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Methods: Twenty-four male piglets received either the TEST diet (n = 12) including prebiotics, MFGM, and lactoferrin plus DHA/ARA, or the CONT diet (n = 12) containing DHA/ARA only, from 2 to 31 days of age. Behavioral assessment in a spatial T‑maze began at 17 days. MRI, including diffusion tensor imaging and voxel-based morphometry, was performed at 30 days, followed by tissue collection at 31 days.
Results: Diffusion tensor imaging identified significant decreases in radial and mean diffusivity in the internal capsule of TEST piglets compared with CONT piglets, consistent with greater axonal insulation. Voxel-based morphometry revealed differences in cortical gray and white matter concentrations between groups. Behavioral testing showed limited differences, with some latency differences observed during acquisition and reversal phases of the T‑maze.
Conclusion: Imaging findings suggest the supplemented diet advanced microstructural maturation of the internal capsule and altered cortical tissue concentrations, consistent with accelerated neurodevelopment. These results indicate that supplementing infant formula with prebiotics, MFGM, and lactoferrin may support early brain development, but further studies with direct myelin assessments and extended behavioral testing are warranted.