Nutrition and the Developing Brain

Dr Nicola Lowe is a Professor of Nutritional Science at the University of Central Lancashire and Co-Director of the International Institute of Nutritional Sciences and Food Safety Studies (iINSAFSs). After graduating from the University of Liverpool with a PhD in trace mineral metabolism, Nicola spent four years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of California, Berkeley where she conducted research examining the homeostatic response to dietary zinc depletion. Nicola joined UCLan as a Senior Lecturer in 2000. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Nicola’s primary area of research is micronutrient metabolism with a particular focus on Zinc. She has worked on European Union (EU Framework 6), NHS, National Institutes for Health (USA), US Department of Agriculture, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Wellcome Trust funded projects. She is currently involved in projects in Europe, USA, Peru and Pakistan. Nicola is author of over fifty peer reviewed publications. She is a member of the editorial board for the International Scholarly Resarch Network journal, Nutrition, and is a member of the international Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND) panel and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Nicola is also the Research Director and a trustee for the Abaseen Foundation. This Lancashire based charity is working alongside community members in rural villages in North West Pakistan, to improve education, nutritional status and health care provision.

Introduction: Nutritional and Environmental Influences on Brain Development. Macronutrients—Energy, Protein, Carbohydrates. Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. Antioxidant Vitamins (Vitamins A, C, E). Vitamin D. B Vitamins—Thiamin, Niacin, Folate, Pyridoxine. Iron. Zinc. Iodine. Copper and Selenium. Nutrient Interactions and Multiple-Micronutrient Supplementation. Environmental Influences on the Developing Brain—Physical, Chemical, Built Environment, Environment of Relationships, Parent-Infant, Breastfeeding. A Biodevelopmental Framework.