Lipid status and the fatty acid composition in different regions of the bra
in, viz., cerebrum acid cerebellum were studied in rats fed diets incorpora
ted with rice bran, palm oil and peanut oil at 5 and 20% levels for a perio
d of 12 weeks. Rats fed on diets containing palm oil had low cholesterol le
vels in the cerebrum region both at 5 and 20% levels and in the cerebellar
region at 20% level as compared to those fed on diets with peanut oil. Howe
ver, there were no changes in the phospholipid levels in any of the group o
f rats. Fatty acid composition in the different regions of the brain sugges
ted that the amount and the type of fatty acids present in the diet not onl
y affected accretion of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids but also
long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. These changes have been attributed
to dietary fat, regions in the brain and in particular, age of the animal.