Saving Brains from Malnutrition
Solutions for Medicine
UWI SODECO
2020 - 2024
Project Overview
Malnutrition doesn’t just affect the body—it affects the brain. This groundbreaking project investigates whether enhancing the feeds used to treat young children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) with nutrients the brain needs to better recover can lead to better cognitive and emotional outcomes. Using existing WHO-prescribed feeds augmented with brain-directed nutrients, the study tests whether re-feeding with augmented feeds improves brain function, especially executive function
function (EF) and emotion regulation (ER)—two vital capabilities linked to improved school performance in childhood and economic earnings in adulthood.
Project Details
Key Objectives
Compare the effects of standard vs enhanced feeds: Ready to Use Therapeutic Supplement (E-RUSF) and Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplement (E-SQ-LNS) on cognition and behaviour.
Investigate the role of the gut microbiome in brain development and function in malnourished children.
Key Findings & Arguments
Existing WHO-prescribed feeds for treating severe malnutrition restores body size and composition; however, even after restoring children to ideal weight for height, the cognitive deficits caused by early-life malnutrition remain.
Enhanced WHO-prescribed feeds designed to support brain growth during critical windows of development could offer long-term cognitive benefits.
The gut–brain connection plays a critical role in brain development and function: gut dysbiosis in malnourished children may disrupt brain function by altering inflammation, immune signals, and neurotransmitters.
Executive dysfunction (EDF) and emotion dysregulation (EDR) are major long-term consequences of untreated or insufficiently treated malnutrition.
The combination of enhanced nutrition and psychosocial stimulation may unlock synergistic gains in brain development and function.
Study Design at a Glance
Randomized controlled trial with 280 children across three groups (healthy, MAM + standard treatment, MAM + enhanced treatment).
Location: Mirpur, Bangladesh
Duration: 2-year follow-up with regular clinical and home visits
Data Collection: Anthropometry, cognitive testing, gut microbiome analysis, inflammation markers, genetic and metabolic profiling
Conclusion
If this study demonstrates that use of WHO-prescribed feeds that are enhanced with the missing or low levels of brain-targeted nutrients lead to significantly improved cognitive and behavioural outcomes, it will offer a scalable, cost-effective solution, improving school performance and adult earnings for millions of children affected by malnutrition worldwide.
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