Early-life malnutrition role in memory, emotional behavior and motor impairments in early brain lesions with potential for neurodevelopmental disorders: a systematic review with meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Objectives

The present study aims to evaluate the impact of early exposure to brain injury and malnutrition on episodic memory and behavior.

Methods

For this, a systematic review was carried out in the Medline/Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, and LILACS databases with no year or language restrictions.

Results

Initially, 1759 studies were detected. After screening, 53 studies remained to be read in full. The meta-analysis demonstrated that exposure to double insults worsens episodic recognition memory but does not affect spatial memory. Early exposure to low-protein diets has been demonstrated to aggravate locomotor and masticatory sequelae. Furthermore, it reduces the weight of the soleus muscle and the muscle fibers of the masseter and digastric muscles. Early exposure to high-fat diets promotes an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain, increasing anxiety- and depression-like behavior and reducing locomotion.

Discussion

Epigenetic modifications were noted in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and prefrontal cortex depending on the type of dietetic exposure in early life. These findings demonstrate the impact of the double insult on regions involved in cognitive and behavioral processes. Additional studies are essential to understand the real impact of the double insults in the critical period.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavior
• brain injury
• cerebral palsy
• nutrition
• memory
• perinatal period
• malnutrition
• developmental plasticity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

All authors contributed to the study's conception and design. C.M.S.S.C, S.C.P, V.S.S and H.J.C.B.G: conceptualization, data collection, analysis of result and decided on the manuscript’s structure. R.M.C: intellectual supervision and analysis of results. M.M.S, A.V.S.M.L, G.L.A and B.M.P.L: formal analysis and manuscript writing A.E.T: Supervision, conceptualization, formal analysis and decided on the manuscript’s structure.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, A.E.T, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded in part by the ‘Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco’ (FACEPE, #0989-4.05/22 and #1471-4.05/22) – Brazil, ‘Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico’ (CNPq) (#402426/2021-5 and #131234/2022-6) – Brazil, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES) – (Finance Code 001 and 1238/2022 /88881.707895/2022-01).

Notes on contributors

Caio Matheus Santos da Silva Calado

Caio Matheus Santos da Silva Calado is a master's student at the Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the Federal University of Pernambuco. His work is developed in neuroscience, nutrition, behavior and phenotypic plasticity.

Raul Manhães-de-Castro

Raul Manhães–de–Castro is an Emeritus Professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. His work is developed in neuroscience, nutrition and phenotypic plasticity.

Vanessa da Silva Souza

Vanessa da Silva Souza is a doctoral student at the Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the Federal University of Pernambuco. She carries out her work in neuroscience, nutrition and phenotypic plasticity.

Henrique José Cavalcanti Bezerra Gouveia

Henrique José Cavalcanti Bezerra Gouveia is a postdoctoral student at the Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. His work is developed in neuroscience, nutrition and phenotypic plasticity.

Sabrina da Conceição Pereira

Sabrina da Conceição Pereira is a doctoral student at the Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the Federal University of Pernambuco. She carries out her work in neuroscience, nutrition, neuromotor system and phenotypic plasticity.

Márcia Maria da Silva

Márcia Maria da Silva is a doctoral student at the Program in Nutrition, at the Federal University of Pernambuco. She carries out her work in neuroscience, nutrition, and phenotypic plasticity.

Glayciele Leandro de Albuquerque

Glayciele Leandro de Albuquerque is a doctoral student at the Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, at the Federal University of Pernambuco. She carries out her work in neuroscience, nutrition and phenotypic plasticity.

Bruno Monteiro Paiva Lima

Bruno Monteiro Paiva Lima has a degree in dentistry and is a student at the Studies in Nutrition and Phenotypic Plasticity Unit, at the Federal University of Pernambuco. His work is developed in neuroscience, nutrition, eating behavior and phenotypic plasticity.

Augusto Vagner Soares Martins de Lira

Augusto Vagner Soares Martins de Lira is a scientific initiation student and a graduate student in psychology at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.

Ana Elisa Toscano

Ana Elisa Toscano is a Professor at ‘The Nursing Unit, Vitória Academic Center’, and at the ‘Graduate Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Posneuro)’, Federal University of Pernambuco. Her work is carried out in neuroscience, nutrition, cerebral palsy, and phenotypic plasticity.