DHA depletion in rat brain is associated with impairment on spatial learning and memory.
- Author:
Ying XIAO
1
;
Ling WANG
;
Ruo-Jun XU
;
Zhen-Yu CHEN
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Animals; Brain; metabolism; Docosahexaenoic Acids; metabolism; Maze Learning; physiology; Memory; physiology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- From: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2006;19(6):474-480
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) deficiency in brain on spatial learning and memory in rats.
METHODSSprague Dawley rats were fed with an n-3 fatty acid deficient diet for two generations to induce DHA depletion in brain. DHA in seven brain regions was analyzed using the gas-liquid chromatography. Morris water maze (MWM) was employed as an assessing index of spatial learning and memory in the n-3 fatty acid deficient adult rats of second generation.
RESULTSFeeding an n-3 deficient diet for two generations depleted DHA differently by 39%-63% in the seven brain regions including cerebellum, medulla, hypothalamus, striatum, hippocampus, cortex and midbrain. The MWM test showed that the n-3 deficient rats took a longer time and swam a longer distance to find the escape platform than the n-3 Adq group.
CONCLUSIONThe spatial learning and memory in adult rats are partially impaired by brain DHA depletion.
