title: [Polyunsaturated fatty acids: omega-3 in child development].
abstract: The understanding of the role of lipids has made major advances following the identification, by George and Mildred Burr, of so-called "essential fatty acids", i.e. linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). LA is supplied by animal and vegetal fats, while ALA reaches higher levels in breastmilk, fish, and olive oil. For both LA and ALA, the human body depends exclusively on the dietary supply. These lipids play a major role as structural components of cell membranes, in particular of neurons, nerves, myelinated sheath, retina, vessels, heart, and blood cells; moreover, they act as precursors of several short-life compounds with hormone-like action: prostaglandins, prostacylins, thromboxanes, leukotriens, all with a regulatory effect on several cell functions, and on cholesterol pathway. It has been suggested a "health programming" role for food, due to the impact of the type of feeding on the subsequent neuromotor development, learning abilities, behavior, metabolism, blood pressure, bone mineralization, and degenrative diseases. This is the consequence of changes of the genomic expression, with a guided clone selection. This is in line with the "imprinting hypothesis" proposed by K. Lorenz (1973 Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine), who suggested that stimulations at a particular age may drive animal behavior for the rest of their life.
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera Materno Infantile G. Salesi, Ancona. caramiagm@mercurio.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caramia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006128:Growth; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3