title: Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid improves spatial learning and hippocampal peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARα and PPARγ) gene expression in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as different n-6: n-3 ratios on spatial learning and gene expression of peroxisome- proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in the hippocampus of rats. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allotted into 3 groups of ten animals each and received experimental diets with different n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios of either 65:1, 22:1 or 4.5:1. After 10 weeks, the spatial memory of the animals was assessed using the Morris Water Maze test. The expression of PPARα and PPARγ genes were determined using real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decreasing dietary n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios improved the cognitive performance of animals in the Morris water maze test along with the upregulation of PPARα and PPARγ gene expression. The animals with the lowest dietary n-6: n-3 PUFA ratio presented the highest spatial learning improvement and PPAR gene expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded that modulation of n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios in the diet may lead to increased hippocampal PPAR gene expression and consequently improved spatial learning and memory in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. ymgoh@vet.upm.edu.my.
authors.forename: Toktam
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hajjar
authors.forename: Goh Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rajion
authors.forename: Sharmili
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vidyadaran
authors.forename: Fauziah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.forename: Abdoreza S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Farjam
authors.forename: Tan A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D047493:PPAR alpha; D047495:PPAR gamma; D012333:RNA, Messenger