Breastfed Babies have Faster Growing Brains

A new study has found that breast milk helps brain development of a baby better than formula milk.

The study was conducted by researchers from Brown University and colleagues, who used MRI scanners to detect brain development in babies that were either breast-fed, given both breast milk and formula, or just got formula milk.

Researchers found that by age 2 years, babies who were breast-fed for at least three months had improved development in important areas of the brain when compared to babies who were either given formula milk along with breast milk or were given only formula milk.

The scans showed that brain regions associated with language, cognitive skills and emotional function had better growth in babies who were fed only with breast milk.

The study was conducted on 133 babies between 10 months and 4 years of age. The babies in the study had normal gestation times. Researchers categorized the babies on the basis of their nutrition intake in the first few months of life; one group had babies who were exclusively breast-fed, the second group had babies who had been given formula milk along with breast milk and the third group had babies who were given just formula milk.

The MRI technique used by the researchers looked at the finer details of the white matter tissue that has the long nerve fiber. The MRI also looks into the amount of myelin, the fat that insulates the nerve fibers and accelerates the electrical signals in the brain.

The MRI scans showed that babies in the breast milk group had the fastest growing white matter when compared with other groups.

"We're finding the difference [in white matter growth] is on the order of 20 to 30 percent, comparing the breastfed and the non-breastfed kids. I think it's astounding that you could have that much difference so early," said Sean Deoni, assistant professor of engineering at Brown and lead author of the study, according to a news release.

The results of the study were further strengthened when infants in the study were given cognitive tests. The study results showed that infants who were fed with only breast milk were better at these tests than other infants.

The study is published in the journal NeuroImage.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breast-feeding for at least 6 months, with continued breast-feeding along with complementary food along for 2 years or beyond. A recent report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that in the U.S., the rates of breast-feeding have increased over the years.