二十碳五烯酸(EPA)及二十二碳六烯酸(DHA)對於哺乳期母鼠及其幼鼠在強迫游水實驗模式下行為表現之影響

Abstract

In this study aimed to assess the effects of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) diets on behavior during lactation and neonatal period in rats. Also assess that EPA or DHA which have more improvement in physical stress. Sprague-Dawley mother rats were subjected to a diet rich in soy oil, EPA-rich oil or DHA-rich oil during lactation period. After lactation period, mother rats and some male rat pups were tested in the forced swimming test (FST) and determined the lipid composition in plasma, erythrocyte and prefrontal cortex. Other male rat pups were subjected to a diet as same as mother rats for 4 weeks. Behavior performance on the FST and the fatty acid profile selected tissues were determined. The results of the forced swimming test showed that the EPA group had a significantly shorter immobile time than other two groups. And the male rat pups had the similar results both in ablactation and after diet intervention. And the immobile time is negative correlation with the fatty acid profile in plasma C20:5 and prefrontal cortex C22:5. The EPA-rich diet might be impairing the depression-like behavior under the physical stress, but not DHA-rich diet. In the results of the fatty acid profile, the prefrontal cortex C22:5 is positive correlation with struggle times and the plasma C20:5 is positive correlation with swim times. In the EPA group, C20:5 and C22:5 are significant changed in blood or prefrontal cortex. The EPA-rich diet might be improving the antidepression-like behaviors under the physical stress. According to these data, it seems imply the various molecular roles of EPA and DHA under pregnancy stress. These observations demonstrate that EPA-rich diet, but not DHA-rich diet, could impair the immobile times and improve the struggle and swim times under physical stress during pregnancy and lactation in mother rats. A similar effect presented in male rat pups both in ablactation and after diet intervention.