Perinatal Choline Influences Brain Structure and Function

Overview

Journal Nutr Rev

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Nutritional Sciences

Date 2006 May 6

PMID 16673755

Citations 86

Authors

Steven H Zeisel

Mihai D Niculescu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Choline is derived not only from the diet, but also from de novo synthesis. It is important for methyl-group metabolism, the formation of membranes, kidney function, and neurotransmission. When deprived of dietary choline, most adult men and postmenopausal women develop signs of organ dysfunction (fatty liver or muscle damage) and have a decreased capacity to convert homocysteine to methionine. Choline is critical during fetal development, when it influences stem cell proliferation and apoptosis, thereby altering brain structure and function (memory is permanently enhanced in rodents exposed to choline during the latter part of gestation).

Citing Articles

Associations of dietary choline intake and kidney function with hyperuricemia in Chinese children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Li C, Li J, Diao Z, Chen L, Yu S, Yu L EClinicalMedicine. 2025; 79():103012.

PMID: 39802309 PMC: 11720878. DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.103012.

Use of a Micronutrient Cocktail to Improve Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) in Adults with Obesity: A Randomized, Double-Blinded Pilot Clinical Trial.

Perva I, Simina I, Bende R, Motofelea A, Chirita Emandi A, Andreescu N Medicina (Kaunas). 2024; 60(8).

PMID: 39202647 PMC: 11356300. DOI: 10.3390/medicina60081366.

Determination of Choline-Containing Compounds in Rice Bran Fermented with Using Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Maekawa M, Iwahori A, Kumondai M, Sato Y, Sato T, Mano N Mass Spectrom (Tokyo). 2024; 13(1):A0151.

PMID: 39161737 PMC: 11331278. DOI: 10.5702/massspectrometry.A0151.

Dietary choline intake and colorectal cancer: a cross-sectional study of 2005-2018 NHANES cycles.

Xu X, Ying H, Huang L, Hong W, Chen W Front Nutr. 2024; 11:1352535.

PMID: 38887505 PMC: 11180780. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1352535.

Unravelling taboos and cultural beliefs associated with hidden hunger among pregnant and breast-feeding women in Buyende district Eastern Uganda.

Tugume P, Mustafa A, Walusansa A, Ojelel S, Nyachwo E, Muhumuza E J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2024; 20(1):46.

PMID: 38693532 PMC: 11064283. DOI: 10.1186/s13002-024-00682-z.

References

Shivapurkar N, Poirier L . Tissue levels of S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine in rats fed methyl-deficient, amino acid-defined diets for one to five weeks. Carcinogenesis. 1983; 4(8):1051-7. DOI: 10.1093/carcin/4.8.1051. View

Locker J, Reddy T, Lombardi B . DNA methylation and hepatocarcinogenesis in rats fed a choline-devoid diet. Carcinogenesis. 1986; 7(8):1309-12. DOI: 10.1093/carcin/7.8.1309. View

Bird A . CpG-rich islands and the function of DNA methylation. Nature. 1986; 321(6067):209-13. DOI: 10.1038/321209a0. View

Robertson K, Wolffe A . DNA methylation in health and disease. Nat Rev Genet. 2001; 1(1):11-9. DOI: 10.1038/35049533. View

Craciunescu C, Brown E, Mar M, Albright C, Nadeau M, Zeisel S . Folic acid deficiency during late gestation decreases progenitor cell proliferation and increases apoptosis in fetal mouse brain. J Nutr. 2004; 134(1):162-6. DOI: 10.1093/jn/134.1.162. View

Wolff G, Kodell R, Moore S, Cooney C . Maternal epigenetics and methyl supplements affect agouti gene expression in Avy/a mice. FASEB J. 1998; 12(11):949-57. View

Hoffman D, Cornatzer W, DUERRE J . Relationship between tissue levels of S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenylhomocysteine, and transmethylation reactions. Can J Biochem. 1979; 57(1):56-65. DOI: 10.1139/o79-007. View

Tees R . The influences of rearing environment and neonatal choline dietary supplementation on spatial learning and memory in adult rats. Behav Brain Res. 1999; 105(2):173-88. DOI: 10.1016/s0166-4328(99)00074-1. View

Meck W, Williams C . Characterization of the facilitative effects of perinatal choline supplementation on timing and temporal memory. Neuroreport. 1997; 8(13):2831-5. DOI: 10.1097/00001756-199709080-00005. View

10.

. Recommendations for the use of folic acid to reduce the number of cases of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. MMWR Recomm Rep. 1992; 41(RR-14):1-7. View

11.

Zeisel S, Mar M, Zhou Z, da Costa K . Pregnancy and lactation are associated with diminished concentrations of choline and its metabolites in rat liver. J Nutr. 1995; 125(12):3049-54. DOI: 10.1093/jn/125.12.3049. View

12.

Zhu X, Mar M, Song J, Zeisel S . Deletion of the Pemt gene increases progenitor cell mitosis, DNA and protein methylation and decreases calretinin expression in embryonic day 17 mouse hippocampus. Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 2004; 149(2):121-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.devbrainres.2004.01.004. View

13.

Fisher M, Zeisel S, Mar M, Sadler T . Perturbations in choline metabolism cause neural tube defects in mouse embryos in vitro. FASEB J. 2002; 16(6):619-21. DOI: 10.1096/fj.01-0564fje. View

14.

Jones P, Gonzalgo M . Altered DNA methylation and genome instability: a new pathway to cancer?. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997; 94(6):2103-5. PMC: 33658. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.94.6.2103. View

15.

Blusztajn J, Wurtman R . Choline and cholinergic neurons. Science. 1983; 221(4611):614-20. DOI: 10.1126/science.6867732. View

16.

Blusztajn J, Zeisel S, Wurtman R . Developmental changes in the activity of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferases in rat brain. Biochem J. 1985; 232(2):505-11. PMC: 1152909. DOI: 10.1042/bj2320505. View

17.

van Praag H, Kempermann G, Gage F . Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus. Nat Neurosci. 1999; 2(3):266-70. DOI: 10.1038/6368. View

18.

Ozarda Ilcol Y, Uncu G, Ulus I . Free and phospholipid-bound choline concentrations in serum during pregnancy, after delivery and in newborns. Arch Physiol Biochem. 2003; 110(5):393-9. DOI: 10.1076/apab.110.5.393.11832. View

19.

Zeisel S, Wurtman R . Developmental changes in rat blood choline concentration. Biochem J. 1981; 198(3):565-70. PMC: 1163303. DOI: 10.1042/bj1980565. View

20.

Jeltsch A . Beyond Watson and Crick: DNA methylation and molecular enzymology of DNA methyltransferases. Chembiochem. 2002; 3(4):274-93. DOI: 10.1002/1439-7633(20020402)3:4<274::AID-CBIC274>3.0.CO;2-S. View