title: Effects of a high-linoleate and a high-alpha-linolenate diet on the learning ability of aged rats. Evidence against an autoxidation-related lipid peroxide theory of aging.
abstract: This study examined the effect of dietary alpha-linolenate (18:3n-3)/linoleate (18:2n-6) balance on brain lipid compositions and brightness-discrimination learning ability in aged rats. An alpha-linolenate-rich diet with a peroxidizability index (PI) of 142 and a linoleate-rich diet with a PI value of 80 were used. Long-term feeding of these diets induced a significant difference in the n-3/n-6 ratios of highly unsaturated fatty acids in brain, but the PI values and the conjugated diene contents were similar between the two dietary groups. Rats fed the alpha-linolenate-rich diet had a longer mean survival time and an increased learning ability in senescence. These results contradict an autoxidation-related lipid peroxide theory of aging, and indicate that the aging process must also be considered in terms of n-3/n-6 balance of dietary fats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Nagoya City University, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okaniwa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okuyama
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008027:Light; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008042:Linolenic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010545:Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012450:Safflower Oil / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008042:Linolenic Acids; D010545:Peroxides; D010938:Plant Oils; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D012450:Safflower Oil; D019787:Linoleic Acid