title: Translational studies on regulation of brain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) metabolism in vivo.
abstract: One goal in the field of brain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism is to translate the many studies that have been conducted in vitro and in animal models to the clinical setting. Doing so should elucidate the role of PUFAs in the human brain, and effects of diet, drugs, disease and genetics on this role. This review discusses new in vivo radiotracer kinetic and neuroimaging techniques that allow us to do this, with a focus on docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We illustrate how brain PUFA metabolism is influenced by graded reductions in dietary n-3 PUFA content in unanesthetized rats. We also show how kinetic tracer techniques in rodents have helped to identify mechanisms of action of mood stabilizers used in bipolar disorder, how DHA participates in neurotransmission, and how brain DHA metabolism is regulated by calcium-independent iPLA₂β. In humans, regional rates of brain DHA metabolism can be quantitatively imaged with positron emission tomography following intravenous injection of [1-¹¹C]DHA.
authors: Brain Physiology and Metabolism Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Building 9, Room 1S128, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. sir@helix.nih.gov
authors: Stanley I
authors: SI
authors: Rapoport
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000639:trends*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D010743:Phospholipids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D054467:Phospholipases A2