Vitamin B-6 is an essential factor in infant nutrition in that it plays a vital role in the development and normal functioning of the central nervous system. Recent studies have shown that based on biochemical measurements, a state of deficiency or increased requirement exists in pregnant women on self-selected diets. Maternal vitamin B-6 status is known to have a direct effect on the vitamin B-6 content of the milk. Investigators have shown that low levels of maternal B-6 intakes does not maintain milk B-6 levels by mobilization of body stores. Therefore, mothers with low or deficient B-6 intakes prior and during gestation and lactation will affect the B-6 nutritional status of their infants with potential deleterious effects on central nervous system development. An association between maternal B-6 intakes and neurological disabilities of the infant at birth has been suggested by several investigators. Our preliminary studies have shown that marked alterations in the ontogenic development of several neurotransmitter systems occurs as a result of perinatal vitamin B-6 deprivation and that these effects occur more rapidly than previously known. The proposed study will investigate the effect of maternal vitamin B-6 nutrition during gestation and lactation on the neurochemical and behavioral development of the offspring. The use of various levels of maternal B-6 intake will make possible the study of functional relationships between B-6 levels and its neurochemical effects at different ages. These measures will be correlated with biochemical indicators of B-6 nutritional status in maternal blood. Furthermore, we propose studies to determine the role of 3-hydroxykynurenine in epileptic seizures associated with vitamin B-6 deficient neonatal rats.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 13 publications
