Micronutrient, antioxidant, and oxidative stress status in children with severe cerebral palsy.

Background: Markers indicative of micronutrient and antioxidant status in children with cerebral palsy (CP) were explored due to these children's well-documented issues with food intake and the limited biochemical literature.

Materials And Methods: Children aged 4 to 12 years with marked CP (n = 24) and controls (n = 24) were recruited. The CP group represented orally (O) or enterally fed (E) children.

Methylation capacity in children with severe cerebral palsy.

Background:   Methylation cycle and folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism maintenance is important for many physiological processes including neurotransmitter regulation, nerve myelination and DNA synthesis. These processes play an indispensible role in growth and development, as well as in cognitive function and neuromuscular stability, which are key issues in children with severe cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods:   Blood samples were collected from children with severe CP (n = 24) and age-matched typically developing healthy controls (n = 24), as an exploratory study.