Abstract #2174

The effects of breastfeeding versus formula-feeding on cerebral cortex maturation in infant rhesus macaques

Zheng Liu^1,2, Martha D. Neuringer^1,3, John W. Erdman Jr.^4,5, Matthew J Kuchan⁶, Laurie Renner¹, Emily E. Johnson ¹, and Christopher D. Kroenke^1,2

¹Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States, ²Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States, ³Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States, ⁴Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States, ⁵Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States, ⁶Abbott Nutrition, Columbus, OH, United States

Infant rhesus macaques were studies to test the effects of breastfeeding versus formula-feeding on cerebral cortex maturation. Through analysis of structural and diffusion MR images, brain volume over the first 6 months of life was not significantly altered by formula-feeding versus breastfeeding, or by formula lutein supplementation. However, cellular maturation within cerebral cortical gray matter differed between formula-fed and breastfed animals. Lower gray matter FA of breastfed infants is interpreted to reflect greater neuronal arborization. This difference may be related to the different social experience as well as the nutrient composition of breast milk.

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