Effects of different proportions of structural fats on cognitive function and body weight in mice

Abstract

There are significant structural differences in the triglyceride composition of human milk fat compared with the oils used in conventional infant formulas. These differences may contribute to disparities in growth, development, and cognitive function between breastfed and formula-fed infants. In this study, three groups of C57BL/6J mice were compared: a control group fed soybean oil and two experimental groups (M1 and M5) supplemented with structural lipid analogues (OPO, OPL, LPL, PPO, and OMO). The results showed that both the M1 and M5 groups exhibited significantly slower weight gain and enhanced cognitive performance compared with the control group, with the M1 group showing a stronger improvement. Lipidomic analysis revealed a downregulation of triglycerides and an upregulation of glycerophospholipids in the livers of M1 and M5 mice. Notably, the changes in glycerophospholipid composition in the liver, serum, and brain reflected similar patterns, suggesting that hepatic lipid metabolism influenced brain lipid composition through systemic lipid circulation. Correlation analysis further indicated that reduced body weight was associated with downregulated hepatic triglycerides, whereas improved cognitive performance was correlated with increased glycerophospholipid levels. These findings suggested that the unique triglyceride composition of human milk modulated lipid metabolism, thereby influencing both body weight and cognitive function. Overall, this study provided valuable insights for the development of next-generation infant formula lipid design.