Effects of infant feeding type on auditory event-related potentials at 24 months of age.

Background: Added bovine milk fat globule membrane (bMFGM) or bMFGM components in infant formulas may favor language development essential for cognitive maturation in early life. In this study, the influence of infant feeding type on language skills acquisition was investigated.

Methods: Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were performed at ~4-6 (baseline) and 24 months of age in infants receiving: human milk, as a reference group (HM, n = 42) or randomized to standard infant formula (SF, n = 53) or similar formula with added bMFGM (EF, n = 48) through 12 months of age. Auditive stimuli included three syllables (two native, one nonnative) with frequent or infrequent repetition. The main outcome was P1 wave amplitude and latency.

Results: At baseline no significant differences were detected in P1 amplitude and latency by feeding or feeding×stimuli. At 24 months, P1 amplitude significantly differed by feeding type (P = 0.02; EF lowest). P1 latency for feeding×stimuli significantly differed for infrequent native (P = 0.01; longer for SF vs EF, P = 0.007).

Conclusion: Electrophysiological changes in ERPs at 24 months of age demonstrated differences by infant feeding type and suggested beneficial effects of formula with added bMFGM on connectivity involved in language perception development.

Impact: First study to evaluate the nutritive effects of bovine milk fat globule membrane (bMFGM) on auditory event-related potentials (ERPs). First demonstration of differential language development associated with infant feeding type and bMFGM using an age-appropriate, high-sensitivity, electrophysiological method. Electrophysiological changes detected in ERPs at 24 months of age suggested an effect of added bMFGM in infant formula (compared to standard formula) which promotes faster neuronal transmission.