Abstract
DHA is an important omega-3 PUFA that confers neurodevelopmental benefits. Sufficient omega-3 PUFA intake has been associated with improved mood-associated measures in adult humans and rodents, but it is unknown whether DHA specifically influences these benefits. Furthermore, the extent to which development and puberty interact with the maternal diet and the offspring diet to affect mood-related behaviors in adolescence is poorly understood. We sought to address these questions by 1) feeding pregnant rats with diets sufficient or deficient in DHA during gestation and lactation; 2) weaning their male offspring to diets that were sufficient or deficient in DHA; and 3) assessing depression-related behaviors (forced swim test), plasma biomarkers [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), serotonin, and melatonin], and brain biomarkers (BDNF) in the offspring before and after puberty. No dietary effects were detected when the offspring were evaluated before puberty. In contrast, after puberty depressive-like behavior and its associated biomarkers were worse in DHA-deficient offspring compared with animals with sufficient levels of DHA. The findings reported here suggest that maintaining sufficient DHA levels throughout development (both pre- and postweaning) may increase resiliency to emotional stressors and decrease susceptibility to mood disorders that commonly arise during adolescence.
Highlights
DHA is an important omega-3 PUFA that confers neurodevelopmental benefits
This study demonstrated that DHA supplementation provided to rats during early and late development increased brain DHA levels considerably and affected depressive-like behaviors and mood-associated biomarkers that emerged following puberty
We observed an interesting pubertal shift in all of the peripheral biomarkers to lower plasma concentrations postpuberty as compared with prepuberty. This decrease coincided with the overall increase in depressive-like behaviors seen postpuberty in the DHA-deficient offspring
Summary
DHA is an important omega-3 PUFA that confers neurodevelopmental benefits. Sufficient omega-3 PUFA intake has been associated with improved mood-associated measures in adult humans and rodents, but it is unknown whether DHA influences these benefits. Dietary DHA during development affects depression-like behaviors and biomarkers that emerge after puberty in adolescent rats. Half of depressed adolescents are treatment resistant, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that are typically effective for treating depressive disorders in adults have been shown to exacerbate suicidal behavior in some teens [4]. These issues highlight the need for alternative approaches to juvenile depression, of which diet may be one [5, 6]. One important dietary factor for optimal brain development is the omega-3 PUFA DHA [9].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
