Effects of a diet rich in omega‐3 essential fatty acids on behavior in an attentional task and monoamine transmitter levels in the medial prefrontal cortex of adolescent rats

Abstract

Omega‐3 essential fatty acids (Ω3‐EFAs) have been suggested as a treatment for depression and ADD. Male adolescent rats were put on a diet balanced 1:1 with Ω3:Ω 6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) or a diet high in Ω6 EFAs acids (25:1 Ω6:Ω 3) from postnatal days 21 to 45. Male adolescent rats were tested in the intradimension/extradimensional attentional set‐shifting (ID/ED) task on days 40‐45 of age. The ID/ED has previously been used only in adult animals. Following completion of the ID/ED, animals were implanted with a 2mm microdialysis probe into the ventral mPFC (vmPFC). After determination of basal levels of norepinephrine (NE), DA and 5‐HT, animals were again run in the ID/ED task. Implantation of a microdialysis probe into the vmPFC did not affect performance in the ID/ED task. Basal levels of NE were higher in the 25:1 dietary group while basal levels of DA and 5‐HT did not differ between groups. Extracellular 5‐HT decreased during the task in the 1:1 dietary group but not in the 25:1 group. These data suggest that a diet rich in omega‐3 EFAs in adolescent rats produces changes in neurotransmitter levels but does not alter attention in an ID/ED task. Supported by EAST and MH074811‐01.