Brain Cortical Structure and Executive Function in Children May Be Influenced by Parental Choices of Infant Diets

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: While it is known that breastfeeding promotes healthy brain development in children, the potential effects of formulas substantially differing in composition (ie, milk-based versus soy-based) during infancy on brain development are unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-one 8-year-old children who were predominantly breastfed, milk formula fed, or soy formula fed during infancy were recruited for an MR imaging examination of the brain and a Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function assessment (completed via a questionnaire to the parents). Brain cortical features measured from MR imaging such as cortical thickness and surface area were extracted and compared among groups and correlated with Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function test scores.

RESULTS: Clusters in the frontal and occipital lobes showed significant differences (cluster-wise P  ≤  .05, corrected for multiple comparisons) in cortical thickness or surface area among the 3 diet groups. The effects were more prominent for boys, particularly for comparison of the milk formula fed versus soy formula fed boys. Assessments of executive function and behavior showed significantly lower Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function test scores in soy formula fed versus milk formula fed groups, which were mostly attributed to differences in boys. There were no differences between milk formula fed and breastfed groups for either sex. Mean cortical thickness for several of the clusters in the brain showing infant diet–associated effects significantly correlated with Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function scores.

CONCLUSIONS: Choices of infant diets (ie, breastfed, milk formula fed, soy formula fed) may have long-term and sex-specific effects on the cortical development and executive function and behavior of children’s brains.