Interconnected Developmental Trajectories of the Brain, Gut, and Sleep in Early Life: The First 1000 Days of Nutritional Opportunity

The first 1,000 days of life, from conception through the second year, represents a uniquely sensitive period for neurodevelopment. During this time multiple physiological systems undergo rapid and coordinated maturation. Among these, the brain, gut, and sleep system form a tightly interconnected triad, exerting reciprocal influences on each other and playing a pivotal role in shaping lifelong cognitive, emotional, and behavioral trajectories. Disruptions in any one of these domains can reverberate across the others, amplifying developmental vulnerabilities. A key modifiable factor that can modulate this gut-brain-sleep triad is nutrition. In this review, we synthesize current evidence on the interconnected development of the brain, gut, and sleep systems, and examine the role of key nutrients in shaping these pathways. We also identify critical gaps in literature and highlight opportunities for future research to better understand how early-life nutritional interventions can optimize neurodevelopmental outcomes.