Compositions and their use

Abstract

A synthetic nutritional composition comprising a vitamin for use to promote, support or optimise de novo myelination, in particular the de novo myelination trajectory, and/or brain structure, and/or brain connectivity, and/or intellectual potential and/or cognitive potential and/or learning potential and/or cognitive functioning in a subject, in particular a formula fed subject.

1 . A method for promoting, supporting or optimizing de novo myelination, in particular the de novo myelination trajectory, and/or brain structure, and/or brain connectivity, and/or intellectual potential, and/or cognitive potential, and/or learning potential and/or cognitive functioning in a formula fed subject comprising administering to the subject a synthetic nutritional composition comprising a vitamin, wherein brain structure refers to the amount and/or spatial distribution of myelinated matter throughout the brain, and/or in specific brain regions, and wherein said cognitive function is optimized if the subject's scores in a standardized neurodevelopmental test are less than one standard deviation different from that of an exclusively breastfed subject of a well-nourished mother. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the subject is a human infant or child. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the vitamin is vitamin B12 and/or folic acid. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein, the composition comprises folic in an amount greater than 50 mcg/100 g dry weight of the composition and/or vitamin B12 in an amount greater than 0.01 mcg/100 g dry weight of the composition. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the composition further comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of a mineral, choline, a phospholipid, and a fatty acid derivative. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the mineral is selected from the group consisting of iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, copper and combinations thereof; wherein the fatty acid derivative comprises docosahexaenoic acid and/or arachidonic acid and/or stearic acid and/or nervonic acid, and wherein the phospholipid is a compound of formula (I) or a mixture of compounds of formula (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein, 
         R 1  is O; 
         X is NH or O; 
         R 2  is a C2-C44 saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched acyl group; 
         R 3  is a substituent of formula (II) or formula (III): 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         Wherein, R 5  is a C2-C44 saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched acyl group and 
         R 6  is a C2-C44 saturated alkyl or alkenyl group; and 
         R 4  is selected from; a C5 or C6 substituted or unsubstituted cyclic alkyl or alkenyl group, or, 
         —(CH2)n-R 7 , wherein n is an integer ranging from 1 to 4, in particular 1 to 2 and R 7  is —N(CH3)3+, NH3+, or a substituent of formula (IV) and, 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein the phospholipid is selected from the group consisting of sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositole, phosphatidylserine, and mixture of the foregoing. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein, if iron is present in the composition it is comprised in an amount greater than 5 mg/100 g dry weight of the composition, wherein if sphingomyelin is in the composition it is in an amount greater than 300 mg/kg dry weight of the composition wherein if a fatty acid derivative comprising DHA is in the composition it is in an amount of 60 to 350 mg/100 g dry weight of the composition, and wherein if a fatty acid derivative comprising arachidonic acid is in the composition it is in an amount of 60 to 350 mg/100 g dry weight of the composition. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the composition is a composition selected from the group consisting of; an infant formula, a growing up milk, a composition for infants that is intended to be added or diluted with human breast milk, and a food stuff intended for consumption by an infant and/or child either alone or in combination with human breast milk. 
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method to promote, support or optimise de novo myelination, in particular the de novo myelination trajectory, and/or brain structure, and/or brain connectivity, and/or intellectual potential, and/or cognitive potential, and/or learning potential and/or cognitive functioning in a subject, the method comprising feeding to the subject a vitamin and an ingredient selected from the group consisting of a mineral, choline, a phospholipid, and a fatty acid derivative, wherein brain structure refers to the amount and/or spatial distribution of myelinated matter throughout the brain, and/or in specific brain regions, and wherein said cognitive function is optimised if said subject's scores in a standardized neurodevelopmental test are less than one standard deviation different from that of an exclusively breastfed subject of a well-nourished mother. 
     
     
         14 - 18 . (canceled)