Visual acuity loss ion rhesus monkey infants fed a taurine‐free human infant formula

M. Neuringer, J. Sturman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examinedthe effects of dietary taurine deprivation on visual development in rhesus monkeys. From birth to 3 months of age, rhesus monkeys were fed a taurine‐free, soy protein‐based infant formula, or the same formula supplemented with taurine. The early postnatal development of visual function was assessed with behavioral measurements of visual acuity. Plasma taurine levels in the taurine‐deprived group fell to 35–50% of control values, as in human infants fed similar formulas. The visual acuity of the taurine‐deprived infants was significantly impaired: acuity thresholds differed from control values by nearly a factor of 2 at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of age. The loss of acuity is associated with morphological changes in photoreceptors, particularly cones in the foveal region. These results provide direct evidence that taurine is essential for normal visual development in primates, and they support the nutritional importance of taurine for human infants.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)597-601
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Neuroscience Research
Volume18
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1987

Keywords

  • infant nutrition
  • retina
  • visual development

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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