Does l-Tryptophan supplementation reduce chewing deficits in an experimental model of cerebral palsy?

Abstract

Children with cerebral palsy commonly present with feeding difficulties that result from multiple orofacial sequelae, especially deficits in mastication. A previous study demonstrated that perinatal protein undernutrition accentuated the chewing impact in an experimental model of cerebral palsy. Therefore, the present study investigated whether nutritional manipulation reversed or minimized the chewing sequelae in cerebral palsy. We emphasized the relevance of evaluating the therapeutic potential of nutrients, especially tryptophan supplementation, to reduce the chewing deficits that are typical of this syndrome. Clarification of the role of nutrients may help in the development of new treatment strategies for these children.

Keywords:

• Nutritional status, Tryptophan, Serotonin, Cerebral palsy

ORCID

Diego Cabral Lacerda http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1741-4707

Raul Manhães-de-Castro http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5309-2031

Kelli Nogueira Ferraz-Pereira http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3180-0866

Ana Elisa Toscano http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7216-6523