Synbiotics combination for brain improvement

Abstract

The invention relates to nutritional compositions with Bifidobacterium breve and non-digestible oligosaccharides for use infants or toddlers for use in improving cognitive or behavioral performance or neuroinflammation.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for improving cognitive performance, cognitive development, behavioral performance, behavioral development and/or social interaction in an infant or toddler and/or treating or preventing decreased cognitive performance, decreased cognitive development, decreased behavioral performance, decreased behavioral development and/or decreased social interaction in an infant or toddler, the method comprising administering to an infant or toddler a nutritional composition comprising:
 (a) glutamine in the form of free amino acids, dipeptides and/or tripeptides,   (b)  Bifidobacterium breve,  and   (c) at least one non-digestible oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, gluco-oligosaccharides, arabino-oligosaccharides, mannan-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides, fuco-oligosaccharides, arabinogalacto-oligosaccharides, glucomanno-oligosaccharides, galactomanno-oligosaccharides, sialic acid-comprising oligosaccharides and uronic acid oligosaccharides,   wherein the infant or toddler suffers from allergy or from intestinal inflammation, or wherein the infant or toddler is at risk of allergy.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the infant or toddler at risk is a preterm infant, infant small for gestational age (SGA) or infant born via caesarian section. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the  B. breve  is  B. breve  M-16V. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the non-digestible oligosaccharide comprises galacto-oligosaccharides and/or fructo-oligosaccharides. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the nutritional composition further comprises protein, fat and/or digestible carbohydrates. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises 102 to 1013 cfu  B. breve  per g dry weight of the composition. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises 0.5 to 20 wt. % non-digestible oligosaccharides based on dry weight of the nutritional composition. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the cognitive performance or cognitive development is memory perfomance or memory development. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the memory performance or memory development involves spatial performance. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises long-chain poly unsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs). 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the LCPUFAs comprise arachidonic acid (ARA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). 
     
     
         29 . A kit of parts comprising:
 (a) a first container comprising glutamine, in the form of free amino acids, dipeptides and/or tripeptides, and at least one non-digestible oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, gluco-oligosaccharides, arabino-oligosaccharides, mannan-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides, fuco-oligosaccharides, arabinogalacto-oligosaccharides, glucomanno-oligosaccharides, galactomanno-oligosaccharides, sialic acid comprising oligosaccharides and uronic acid oligosaccharides, and   (b) a second container comprising  Bifidobacterium breve.      
     
     
         30 . The kit of parts according to  claim 29 , wherein glutamine and fructo-oligosaccharides and galacto-oligosaccharides are present in a weight ratio of glutamine to the sum of fructo-oligosaccharides and galacto-oligosaccharides between 2:1 and 1:4. 
     
     
         31 . The kit of parts according to  claim 30 , wherein the weight ratio of glutamine to the sum of fructo-oligosaccharides and galacto-oligosaccharides is between 1:1 and 1:3. 
     
     
         32 . A nutritional composition comprising protein, fat and digestible carbohydrate and further comprising:
 a)  Bifidobacterium breve  in an amount of 102 to 1013 cfu per g dry weight of the nutritional composition,   b) at least one non digestible oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, in an amount of 0.5 to 20 wt. % based on dry weigth of the nutritional composition,   c) at least 4 wt. % glutamine, based on dry weight of the nutritional composition, wherein the glutamine is in the form of free amino acid and/or glutamine-containing dipeptide and/or glutamine-containing tripeptide, and   d) LC-PUFA in the form or arachidonic acid and/or docosahexaenoic acid.   
     
     
         33 . The nutritional composition according to  claim 32 , comprising at least 12 wt % glutamine in the form of free amino acid and if present glutamine containing dipeptide and glutamine containing tripeptide based on total protein. 
     
     
         34 . The nutritional composition according to  claim 33 , which is an infant starter formula, an infant follow on formula, a toddler milk, a preterm formula, a post discharge formula and a human milk fortifier