DHA is highly concentrated in retinal and neural cell membranes and is associated with signal transduction, neurotransmission and neurogenesis.
DHA also gives rise to Resolvin D1 and protectin D1 (neuroprotectin D1) that are newly identified anti-inflammatory lipid mediators.
DHA supplemented girls and infants born weighing 1,250 g had a 5-point improvement in mental development scores compared with control. The efficacy of high DHA in infants born 1,500 g was also recently reported, showing improved problem solving and better recognition memory at 6 months corrected age.
This large and inclusive trial showed that infants fed the DHA-enriched diet had better visual development in infancy