The effect of severe early malnutrition on cellular growth of human brain

Abstract

Extract: In ten ‘normal’ brains, obtained from well-nourished Chilean children who died accidentally, weight, protein, and DNA and RNA content were all normal when compared with those values derived from similar children in the United States. Table I demonstrates the values obtained in these children. In nine infants who died of severe malnutrition during the first year of life, there was a proportional reduction in weight, protein, and RNA and DNA content. The actual values for these determinations are given in table II. The number of cells was reduced but the weight or protein per cell was unchanged Three infants who weighed less than 2,000 grams at birth (Infants 2, 3, and 4, table II) were the most severely affected. These data are similar to previous data in animals and demonstrate that in children, severe early malnutrition can result in curtailment of the normal increase in brain cellularity with increase in age. Speculation: At present there is growing concern that malnutrition