Docosahexaenoic acid

About: Docosahexaenoic acid is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 14412 publications have been published within this topic receiving 620852 citations. The topic is also known as: all-cis-DHA & all-cis-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic acid.

Effects of dietary fatty acids on reproduction in ruminants

Abstract: Fats in the diet can influence reproduction positively by altering both ovarian follicle and corpus luteum function via improved energy status and by increasing precursors for the synthesis of reproductive hormones such as steroids and prostaglandins. Dietary fatty acids of the n-3 family reduce ovarian and endometrial synthesis of prostaglandin F 2α, decrease ovulation rate in rats and delay parturition in sheep and humans. Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic, linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids may inhibit prostaglandin F 2α synthesis through mechanisms such as decreased availability of its precursor arachidonic acid, an increased competition by these fatty acids with arachidonic acid for binding to prostaglandin H synthase, and inhibition of prostaglandin H synthase synthesis and activity. It is not known whether polyunsaturated fatty acids regulate expression of candidate genes such as phospholipase A 2 and prostaglandin H synthase via activation of nuclear transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Manipulation of the fatty acid profile of the diet can be used potentially to amplify suppression of uterine synthesis of prostaglandin F 2α during early pregnancy in cattle, which may contribute to a reduction in embryonic mortality. Feeding fats and targeting of fatty acids to reproductive tissues may be a potential strategy to integrate nutrition and reproductive management to improve animal productivity.

Effect of fish oil on cognitive performance in older subjects A randomized, controlled trial

Abstract: Background: High intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may protect against age-related cognitive decline. However, results from epidemiologic studies are inconclusive, and results from randomized trials in elderly subjects without dementia are lacking. Objective: To investigate the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation on cognitive performance. Methods: Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 302 cognitively healthy (Mini-Mental State Examination score > 21) individuals aged 65 years or older. Participants were randomly assigned to 1,800 mg/d EPA–DHA, 400 mg/d EPA–DHA, or placebo capsules for 26 weeks. Cognitive performance was assessed using an extensive neuropsychological test battery that included the cognitive domains of attention, sensorimotor speed, memory, and executive function. Results: The mean age of the participants was 70 years, and 55% were male. Plasma concentrations of EPA–DHA increased by 238% in the high-dose and 51% in the low-dose fish oil group compared with placebo, reflecting excellent compliance. Baseline scores on the cognitive tests were comparable in the three groups. Overall, there were no significant differential changes in any of the cognitive domains for either low-dose or high-dose fish oil supplementation compared with placebo. Conclusions: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we observed no overall effect of 26 weeks of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation on cognitive performance.

Dietary essential fatty acids and brain function: a developmental perspective on mechanisms

Abstract: Brain development is a complex interactive process in which early disruptive events can have long-lasting effects on later functional adaptation. It is a process that is dependent on the timely orchestration of external and internal inputs through sophisticated intra- and intercellular signalling pathways. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), specifically arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), accrue rapidly in the grey matter of the brain during development, and brain fatty acid (FA) composition reflects dietary availability. Membrane lipid components can influence signal transduction cascades in various ways, which in the case of LCPUFA include the important regulatory functions mediated by the eicosanoids, and extend to long-term regulation through effects on gene transcription. Our work indicates that FA imbalance as well as specific FA deficiencies can affect development adversely, including the ability to respond to environmental stimulation. For example, although the impaired water-maze performance of mice fed a saturated-fat diet improved in response to early environmental enrichment, the brains of these animals showed less complex patterns of dendritic branching. Dietary n-3 FA deficiency influences specific neurotransmitter systems, particularly the dopamine systems of the frontal cortex. We showed that dietary deficiency of n-3 FA impaired the performance of rats on delayed matching-to-place in the water maze, a task of the type associated with prefrontal dopamine function. We did not, however, find an association over a wider range of brain DHA levels and performance on this task. Some, but not all, studies of human infants suggest that dietary DHA may play a role in cognitive development as well as in some neurodevelopmental disorders; this possibility has important implications for population health.