ESSENTIAL FATTY-ACID PREPARATION IMPROVES BIOCHEMICAL AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS RATS

This study examined the possible effects of a novel mixture of fatty a cids, SR-3 (a specific ratio of alpha-linolenic acids), on brain bioch emistry and on learning deficits induced by injection of an agent that induces experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Treatment with SR-3 caused a decrease in myelin and changes in the fatty acid profile of b rain synaptosomes, and a learning deficit. Eighteen days of treatment with SR-3 reversed the biochemical and learning deficit significantly, but did not restore them to normal levels. We propose that, most prob ably, the main action of SR-3 is the modulation of the cholesterol lev el, which in turn causes the modulation of the fatty acid profile and enhances learning by allowing improved neuronal communication.