DHA Depletion in Rat Brain Is Associated With Impairment on Spatial Learning and Memory
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Key words:
- Docosahexaenoic acid /
- Memory /
- Morris water maze /
- Spatial learning
Abstract: Objective To examine the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) deficiency in brain on spatial learning and memory in rats. Methods Sprague Dawley rats were fed with an n-3 fatty acid deficient diet for two generations to induce DHA depletion in brain. DHA in seven brain regions was analyzed using the gas-liquid chromatography. Morris water maze (MWM) was employed as an assessing index of spatial learning and memory in the n-3 fatty acid deficient adult rats of second generation. Results Feeding an n-3 deficient diet for two generations depleted DHA differently by 39%-63% in the seven brain regions including cerebellum, medulla, hypothalamus, striatum, hippocampus, cortex and midbrain. The MWM test showed that the n-3 deficient rats took a longer time and swam a longer distance to find the escape platform than the n-3 Adq group. Conclusion The spatial learning and memory in adult rats are partially impaired by brain DHA depletion.
Citation: | YING XIAO, LING WANG, RUO-JUN XU, ZHEN-YU CHEN. DHA Depletion in Rat Brain Is Associated With Impairment on Spatial Learning and Memory[J]. Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, 2006, 19(6): 474-480. |