Effect of dietary linoleate/alpha-linolenate balance on the brain lipid composition, reproductive outcome and behavior of rats during their prenatal and postnatal development

The effect of the dietary linoleate (LA)/alpha-linolenate (LNA) balance dur ing development on the brain lipid composition, reproductive outcome and be havior of rats was studied. Female rats were fed on experimental diets duri ng pregnancy and the resulting pups for 16 weeks. The dietary LA/LNA ratios were 1.07 (LA1), 2.64 (LA2), 4.45 (LA3), 7.68 (LA4) and 10.35 (LA5). The r elative content of docosahexaenoate (DHA) in the brain of pups tended to in crease with decreasing LA/LNA ratio at 0 and 3 weeks, while the level of DH A was maintained constant at 16 weeks regardless of the dietary LA/LNA rati o. The learning ability was measured at 12 weeks of age, and there was no d ifference among the groups. In an open field test, the exploratory index wa s significantly lower in the LA1 group than in the LA2 group. The LA1 group had a smaller litter size and lower survival rate than the other groups. W e conclude that if the diet contained appropriate amounts and balance of LA and LNA, it was possible for rats to synthesize an appropriate amount of D f-FA and have normal behavioral activity without DHA supplementation.