This publication explores the relationship between human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) in early infancy and later child cognitive development. Using a longitudinal study design, researchers investigated the association between specific HMOs (2′-fucosyllactose, 3′-sialyllactose, 6′-sialyllactose, grouped fucosylated HMOs, and grouped sialylated HMOs) measured in human milk during the first twelve weeks postnatal and child executive functions at age three years.

The results suggest that higher concentrations of 2′-fucosyllactose and grouped fucosylated HMOs are linked to better executive functions, while higher concentrations of grouped sialylated HMOs are associated with poorer executive functions at age three.

The study highlights the potential importance of HMOs in cognitive outcomes and calls for further research to explore causality and sensitive periods by sampling HMOs frequently during early infancy and conducting experimental HMO administration studies in exclusively formula-fed infants.