Hyperactivity in the rat is associated with spontaneous low level of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the frontal cortex
Behavioural Brain Research. 2007-06-01; 180(2): 119-126
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2007.02.032
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Vancassel S(1), Blondeau C, Lallemand S, Cador M, Linard A, Lavialle M,
Dellu-Hagedorn F.
Author information:
(1)Unité de Nutrition et Régulation Lipidique des Fonctions Cérébrales,
NuRéLiCe, INRA, domaine de Vilvert, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas cedex, France.
Inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness are the main symptoms of the
heterogeneous attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It has been
suggested that ADHD is associated with an imbalance in polyunsaturated fatty
acid (PUFA) composition, with abnormal low levels of the main n-3 PUFA, DHA (22:
6n-3). DHA is highly accumulated in nervous tissue membranes and is implicated
in neural function. Animal studies have shown that diet-induced lack of DHA in
the brain leads to alterations in cognitive processes, but the relationship
between DHA and hyperactivity is unclear. We examined the membrane phospholipid
fatty acid profile in frontal cortex of rats characterized for attention,
impulsiveness and motricity in various environmental contexts to determine the
relationship between brain PUFA composition and the symptoms of ADHD. The
amounts of n-3 PUFA in the PE were significantly correlated with nocturnal
locomotor activity and the locomotor response to novelty: hyperactive
individuals had less n-3 PUFA than hypoactive ones. We conclude that spontaneous
hyperactivity in rats is the symptom of ADHD that best predicts the n-3 PUFA
content of the frontal cortex. This differential model in rats should help to
better understand the role of PUFA in several psychopathologies in which PUFA
composition is modified.