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Background
Maternal phosphatidylcholine supplements have shown benefit in the development of the human fetal brain, as assessed both by newborn physiological measurements and by a related decrease in later childhood behavioral abnormalities. However, the relatively low choline component of phosphatidylcholine mandates high doses that are difficult...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... choline is used in one of two pathways: it can be metabolized to betaine by oxidation to an aldehyde and a subsequent dehydrogenase-mediated step or it can be used as a substrate for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine that is used to form cell membranes (Fig. 1). In human pregnancy, there is increasing diversion of choline consumption to fuel phosphatidylcholine synthesis [10]. In a chicken model of choline deficiency, betaine supplements replaced up to 50% of the choline requirement, presumably by sparing the consumption of choline to synthesize betaine [11]. In mice with deficient methionine ...
Context 2
... choline is used in one of two pathways: it can be metabolized to betaine by oxidation to an aldehyde and a subsequent dehydrogenase-mediated step or it can be used as a substrate for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine that is used to form cell membranes (Fig. 1). In human pregnancy, there is increasing diversion of choline consumption to fuel phosphatidylcholine synthesis [10]. In a chicken model of choline deficiency, betaine supplements replaced up to 50% of the choline requirement, presumably by sparing the consumption of choline to synthesize betaine [11]. In mice with deficient methionine ...
Citations
... This could also be due to the recommended supplementation of phosphatidylcholine during pregnancy, as studies have shown supplementation positively influences fetal development and child behaviour. 48 High levels of PC are also required postnatally, as it is found rich in breast milk. 49 All pregnant participants were scheduled for elective caesarean section for reasons such as breach presentation and previous emergency caesarean section and did not show any evidence of labour, so should not yet have tipped into the proinflammatory milieu associated with this. ...
The lipid environment changes throughout pregnancy both physiologically with emergent insulin resistance and pathologically e.g., gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Novel mass spectrometry (MS) techniques applied to minimally processed blood might lend themselves to monitoring changing lipid profiles to inform care decisions across pregnancy. In this study we use an intact-sandwich, MALDI-ToF MS method to identify phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) species and calculate their ratio as an indicator of inflammation. Plasma and sera were prepared from venous blood of non-pregnant women (aged 18-40) and pregnant women at 16 weeks, 28 weeks (including GDM-positive women), and 37+ weeks (term) of gestation alongside umbilical cord blood (UCB). Women with a normal menstrual cycle and age-matched men provided finger-prick derived capillary sera at 6 time-points over a month. Serum rather than plasma was preferable for PC/LPC measurement. As pregnancy progresses, an anti-inflammatory phenotype dominates the maternal circulation, evidenced by increasing PC/LPC ratio. In contrast, the PC/LPC ratio of UCB was aligned to that of non-pregnant donors. BMI had no significant effect on the PC/LPC ratio, but GDM-complicated pregnancies had significantly lower PC/LPC at 16 weeks of gestation. To further translate the use of the PC/LPC ratio clinically, the utility of finger-prick blood was evaluated; no significant difference between capillary versus venous serum was found and we revealed the PC/LPC ratio oscillates with the menstrual cycle. Overall, we show that the PC/LPC ratio can be measured simply in human serum and has the potential to be used as a time-efficient and less invasive biomarker of (mal)adaptative inflammation.
... The correlation between symptoms rated by the mother as moderate to severe on a custom-made scale from little or mild (1-3) to moderate (4-5) to severe (6-9) in the interview and problems in the medical record is r s = 0.96, p < 0.001 (Freedman et al., 2019). Mothers reported the use of alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine at 16 weeks gestation in the same interview and at 6-week intervals through the first 6 weeks postpartum (Hoffman et al., 2019a(Hoffman et al., , 2019b. ...
... General Linear Models and multiple regression analyzed child sex as a fixed effect and CRP and other cytokine levels and choline levels as a continuous effect. For P50 S2 amplitude, maternal tobacco smoking, cannabis, and alcohol use were examined as covariates because of previously established effects on P50 inhibition (Hoffman et al., 2019a(Hoffman et al., , 2019bHunter et al., 2011). For IBQ-R analyses, maternal education was a covariate because of its correlation with both CRP levels (r = −0.169, ...
... In a previous study, the effect size of choline on P50 inhibition was Cohen's d' = 0.7 (Ross et al., 2013). We expected 20% of the women would have adequate choline levels and 30% attrition (Hoffman et al., 2019a;2019b;Wu et al., 2012). Therefore, we enrolled 200 women to have power 1-β > 0.95, α = 0.05, 1-tail to observe an overall choline effect. ...
Background
Maternal inflammation in early pregnancy has been identified epidemiologically as a prenatal pathogenic factor for the offspring's later mental illness. Early newborn manifestations of the effects of maternal inflammation on human fetal brain development are largely unknown.
Methods
Maternal infection, depression, obesity, and other factors associated with inflammation were assessed at 16 weeks gestation, along with maternal C-reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and serum choline. Cerebral inhibition was assessed by inhibitory P50 sensory gating at 1 month of age, and infant behavior was assessed by maternal ratings at 3 months of age.
Results
Maternal CRP diminished the development of cerebral inhibition in newborn males but paradoxically increased inhibition in females. Similar sex-dependent effects were seen in mothers' assessment of their infant's self-regulatory behaviors at 3 months of age. Higher maternal choline levels partly mitigated the effect of CRP in male offspring.
Conclusions
The male fetal-placental unit appears to be more sensitive to maternal inflammation than females. Effects are particularly marked on cerebral inhibition. Deficits in cerebral inhibition 1 month after birth, similar to those observed in several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, indicate fetal developmental pathways that may lead to later mental illness. Deficits in early infant behavior follow. Early intervention before birth, including prenatal vitamins, folate, and choline supplements, may help prevent fetal development of pathophysiological deficits that can have life-long consequences for mental health.
Цель исследования – анализ современной научной литературы по влиянию на здоровье человека бетаина, входящего в состав зерновых культур. К веществам, способствующим профилактике ряда серьезных заболеваний человека, относится бетаин, который содержится в зерновых культурах. Известно, что бетаин осуществляет несколько функций в организмах растений и животных, это осмолит, шаперон и донор метильной группы. Установлено, что суточная доза бетаина для большинства людей (в разных группах населения) составляет от 100 до 300 мг. Сегодня представляется весьма вероятным, что нарушения метаболизма бетаина вследствие повышения концентрации гомоцистеина в плазме крови являются фактором риска развития атеросклеротических заболеваний сосудов, а также появления тромбозов. Найдено, что алейроновые фракции зерна и пшеничные отруби способны выступать хорошим источником бетаина, оказывающим благоприятное физиологическое действие на человека. Показано более чем двукратное увеличение содержания бетаина в плазме крови после употребления как пшеничных отрубей, так и алейроновых фракций зерна по сравнению с исходным уровнем. Установлено, что бетаиновая терапия может предотвращать сосудистые события и иметь клинические преимущества в защите от аллергии, уменьшении риска возникновения некоторых форм рака, продлении сроков выживаемости онкологических больных, снижении резистентности к инсулину. Исходя из этого, бетаин сегодня используется в качестве ингредиента функционального питания и пищевой добавки. Хотя зерновые культуры считаются одним из основных компонентов питания человека, исследований содержания в них бетаина проведено недостаточно, а в Российской Федерации публикации по указанной теме практически отсутствуют. Обзор современной литературы предлагается с целью привлечения внимания генетиков, селекционеров, физиологов растений, биотехнологов и растениеводов к указанной проблеме.
Background
This study investigated whether higher maternal choline levels mitigate effects of marijuana on fetal brain development. Choline transported into the amniotic fluid from the mother activates α 7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on fetal cerebro-cortical inhibitory neurons, whose development is impeded by cannabis blockade of their cannabinoid-1(CB1) receptors.
Methods
Marijuana use was assessed during pregnancy from women who later brought their newborns for study. Mothers were informed about choline and other nutrients, but not specifically for marijuana use. Maternal serum choline was measured at 16 weeks gestation.
Results
Marijuana use for the first 10 weeks gestation or more by 15% of mothers decreased newborns' inhibition of evoked potentials to repeated sounds ( d ’ = 0.55, p < 0.05). This effect was ameliorated if women had higher gestational choline ( rs = −0.50, p = 0.011). At 3 months of age, children whose mothers continued marijuana use through their 10th gestational week or more had poorer self-regulation ( d ’ = −0.79, p < 0.05). This effect was also ameliorated if mothers had higher gestational choline ( rs = 0.54, p = 0.013). Maternal choline levels correlated with the children's improved duration of attention, cuddliness, and bonding with parents.
Conclusions
Prenatal marijuana use adversely affects fetal brain development and subsequent behavioral self-regulation, a precursor to later, more serious problems in childhood. Stopping marijuana use before 10 weeks gestational age prevented these effects. Many mothers refuse to cease use because of familiarity with marijuana and belief in its safety. Higher maternal choline mitigates some of marijuana's adverse effects on the fetus.
