title: Fatty acid composition of cerebrosides and phospholipids in brains of undernourished rats.
abstract: The effect of undernutrition on the fatty acid profiles of cerebrosides and phospholipids in the developing rat brain has been investigated. Undernutrition was imposed post-natally in pups by the method of large litter size and feeding a protein-deficient diet during the post-weaning period. The results showed that lignoceric (24:0) and nervonic (24:1) acids of cerebrosides, which are marker fatty acids of myelin, were significantly lower in 50-day-old undernourished rats than in well-nourished controls. Among the polyunsaturated fatty acids of phospholipids the contribution of arachidonic acid (20:4) to the total fatty acids was lower in 10- and 21-day-old as well as 50-day-old rats. Altered fatty acid pattern of lipid classes might be the result of impaired myelination of brain due to nutritional stress.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002554:Cerebrosides / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002554:Cerebrosides; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010743:Phospholipids