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Differential effects of modulation of docosahexaenoic acid content during development in specific regions of rat brain.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Levant, B; Ozias, MK; Jones, KA; Carlson, SE
Published in: Lipids
May 2006

Variation in brain FA composition, particularly decreased DHA (22:6n-3), affects neurodevelopment, altering visual, attentional, and cognitive functions, and is implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders. To further understand how specific brain processes and systems are affected by variation in brain DHA content, we sought to determine whether specific brain regions were differentially affected by treatments that alter brain DHA content. Adult male Long-Evans rats were raised from conception using diet/breeding treatments to produce four groups with distinct brain phospholipid compositions. Total phospholipid FA composition was determined in whole brain and 15 brain regions by TLC/GC. Brain regions exhibited significantly different DHA contents, with the highest levels observed in the frontal cortex and the lowest in the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area. Increased availability of DHA resulted in increased DHA content only in the olfactory bulb, parietal cortex, and substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area. In contrast, treatment that decreased whole-brain DHA levels decreased DHA content in all brain regions except the thalamus, dorsal midbrain, and the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area. Alterations in DHA level were accompanied by changes in docosapentaenoic acid (n-6 DPA, 22:5n-6) content; however, the change in DHA and n-6 DPA was nonreciprocal in some brain regions. These findings demonstrate that the FA compositions of specific brain regions are differentially affected by variation in DHA availability during development. These differential effects may contribute to the specific neurochemical and behavioral effects observed in animals with variation in brain DHA content.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Lipids

DOI

ISSN

0024-4201

Publication Date

May 2006

Volume

41

Issue

5

Start / End Page

407 / 414

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • alpha-Linolenic Acid
  • Time Factors
  • Rats, Long-Evans
  • Rats
  • Phospholipids
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Male
  • Female
  • Fatty Acids
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids
 

Citation

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Levant, B., Ozias, M. K., Jones, K. A., & Carlson, S. E. (2006). Differential effects of modulation of docosahexaenoic acid content during development in specific regions of rat brain. Lipids, 41(5), 407–414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-006-5114-6
Levant, Beth, Marlies K. Ozias, Karra A. Jones, and Susan E. Carlson. “Differential effects of modulation of docosahexaenoic acid content during development in specific regions of rat brain.Lipids 41, no. 5 (May 2006): 407–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-006-5114-6.
Levant, Beth, et al. “Differential effects of modulation of docosahexaenoic acid content during development in specific regions of rat brain.Lipids, vol. 41, no. 5, May 2006, pp. 407–14. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s11745-006-5114-6.
Journal cover image

Published In

Lipids

DOI

ISSN

0024-4201

Publication Date

May 2006

Volume

41

Issue

5

Start / End Page

407 / 414

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • alpha-Linolenic Acid
  • Time Factors
  • Rats, Long-Evans
  • Rats
  • Phospholipids
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Male
  • Female
  • Fatty Acids
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids