High dietary fish oil alters the brain polyunsaturated fatty acid composition.
Feeding adult rats a 17% corn-oil diet for 8 weeks did not change brain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared to rats fed 2.2% corn oil (with 2.2% lard added). When the corn-oil diet was supplemented with 14.5% cod liver oil or 12.5% salmon oil, the fatty acid composition of brain PUFA was significantly altered, even if alpha-tocopherol was added to the salmon-oil diet. Comparing salmon-oil- and cod-liver-oil-fed animals with corn-oil-fed animals, arachidonic acid 22:4(n-6) and 22:5(n-6) were reduced, and 20:5(n-3), 22:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3) were increased. Liver fatty acids were also significantly altered. Thus, the brain is not protected against a large excess of very-long-chain n-3 PUFA, which increase n-3/n-6 ratio and could lead to abnormal function, and which might be difficult to reverse.
Bourre
J M
JM
INSERM Unité 26, Hôpital Fernand Widal, Paris, France.
Bonneil
M
M
Dumont
O
O
Piciotti
M
M
Nalbone
G
G
Lafont
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils