Breastmilk vs. Formula Debate

I found this article, which although it is about multiple sclerosis being more common in babies who had a shorter duration of breastfeeding, does mention a difference between BF and FF babies. A physical difference. This is something we have talked about in the other monster thread, with a lot of opinions expressed as to whether there are differences, whether they are measurable, significant, long-lasting, and what proportion of the FF population would experience these differences.

This article mentions one particular difference that has been noticed. Specifically "....a different composition of cortex grey matter has been described in bottle fed infants."

Now, that is something we cannot observe from the outside, yet to me, it is just the sort of difference on the inside that happens, and will have its effect on FF children.

This may show up in a few cases as multiple sclerosis (worst case scenario), but in other children, it could have some smaller effect. Is this for instance where possible links to Iq and BF come from?

It does make sense to me that this is one of the foundations being laid down by BF.

Breastfeeding vs Multiple Sclerosis

The association between bottle feeding and multiple sclerosis was investigated in a case-control study by the Pediatrics Department at the University of Naples, Italy. Patients with multiple sclerosis were less likely than controls to have been breastfed for a prolonged period of time. Cow's milk contains lower amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, and a different composition of cortex grey matter has been described in bottle fed infants. This fact could be associated by means of the formation of defective membranes with easier entry of an infective agent across the blood-brain barrier or with accelerated degradation of myelin itself.

Human milk might actively influence the immune system of the offspring by different mechanisms, and some features of the immune response among those who have been breastfed for a prolonged period may last for a long time.

In the study, 93 cases and 93 controls were enrolled. Cases were all patients who had a definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis; controls were people who matched the cases in terms of age and gender. The groups were contacted by two interviewers who were blind to the objective of the study. Whenever possible the mothers of the patients were interviewed, otherwise the patients provided information about their infant feeding, usually quoting their mothers. The mean duration of breastfeeding was 8.4 months for the cases and 12.5 months for the controls.

Alfredo Pisacane,
Nicola Impagliatzo et al Dipartimento di Pediatri,
Universira di Napoli,
Fen'co II,Via Pansini 5. 80131
Naples, Italy

Breastfeeding also provides some form of protection against Cancer, Heart Disease, Hodgkins and Crohn's Disease, Juv. Diabetes, Juv. Rheumatoid Arthritis and more.

http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_ms.html

Teresa

Very interesting - I'm trying to find the study they refer to, where they found different compositions of grey matter - but I hear people stirring and my time is running out to look.

What I found so far is grey matter is related to DHA. So they whole thing about adding DHA to formula probably came out of this finding about grey matter (that's my guess, could be wrong). I also found that DHA accumulates most rapidly in the brain during the third trimester of pregnancy, so here again premature babies who missed the third trimester would be a good analogy for babies who are not bf'd (missed the fourth trimester). The third trimester is important, as is bf'ing, so how do either groups differ in grey matter compared to healthy, full term babies who are bf'd? There might be some good studies on both.

I also read that US women have the lowest levels of DHA in breastmilk due to our diet. So maybe there are studies on grey matter of US women vs. women from other countries? I'll try to find time to look later on.

"The last of human freedoms - the ability to chose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances. " - Viktor Frankl.

Those are some very interesting questions you ask. :)

I look forward to seeing what you find.

Fascinating! I keep getting sucked back in to this, and I really don't have time this week.

But it reminds me of some research I once read about how BF babies have something laid down on their nerves, but FF babies don't - sorry, best I can remember and I don't have any time today to look it up.

Fascinating stuff.

There is so much development in the infant brain, the myelation of the nerve sheaths, the "laying down" of neural connections, it makes perfect sense that the biologically normal food "feeds" the development and provides the material needed to stimulate such growth and development.