Research: Effects of Dietary Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Brain Gene Expression

Authored by Kitajka, K., Sinclair AJ, Weisinger RS, Weisinger HS, Mathai M., Jayasooriya JP, Halver JE, and Puskas LG in Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A., Volume 101, Issue 30, p. 10931-10936, (2004).

Article summary (posted Nov 14, 2006):

This article reports on research showing that supplementation of rats (both during pregnancy and after birth) with omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) affects the development of the brain.

It is known that EFAs are crucial for learning and memory. This effect could be due to their direct effects on brain processes, or due to indirect effects on the expression of genes in the brain. This article tested whether genes in the brain could be affected by fatty acid supplements given to rats. Pregnant rats were given omega-3 supplements, and after birth their pups continued to receive omega-3 supplements. The results showed that 102 genes were altered in the brains of these rats, compared to controls that were fed diets with low levels of omega-3 EFAs. These genes produced proteins that affected every aspect of brain function. The authors point that, in another study, rats that had been supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids performed better than controls on a standard test of learning and memory.

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You can access the original abstract and the complete paper is sometimes available for free via Google Scholar (look for entries that say "PDF" or "HTML" on the right side of the page).
diet, essential fatty acids (EFA), gene, gene expression, memory, omega-3, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), supplements
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