title: Docosahexaenoic acid and phosphatidylserine supplementations improve antioxidant activities and cognitive functions of the developing brain on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure model.
abstract: Epilepsy provoked by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) is caused by an abnormal excitatory postsynaptic potential, which results in increased production of reactive oxygen species, and finally reducing cognitive functions. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with DHA and PS, administered either alone or in combination, on oxidative stress and behavioral and cognitive spatial memory in neonatal rats with PTZ-induced epileptic seizure. In this study, rat pups received repetitive doses of PTZ for induction of epileptic seizure and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6, n-3) and phosphatidylserine (PS) were orally administrated alone or together to the PTZ-induced epileptic animals daily for 36 d. The spatial memory, nitric mono-oxide (NO) production, and enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in brain and liver tissues were determined. PTZ administration significantly reduced the cell numbers in the hippocampus, shortened the escape latency in the safe target region, decreased activities of SOD and catalase, but increased NO content in both brain and liver tissues, while DHA and PS significantly extended the escape latency, reversed the oxidative parameters observed in the brain, and enhanced SOD activity in the liver. Dietary supplementation with DHA and PS may protect brain tissue from the oxidative stress caused by epileptic seizures and could serve to improve learning and memory ability in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shyh-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chin-Dong
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Pi-Hang
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jheng-Ren
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Chih-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hso-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chaung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003292:Convulsants / Q000633:toxicity; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000633:toxicity; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003292:Convulsants; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole