The antidepressant role of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids in two phases in the developing brain

Consumption of a high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet during gradual mild physiological stress in rats

“…Previous studies suggest that the dose and duration of supplementation used here was adequate for effects to be demonstrated [e.g. 4,7,33], and the number of animals and number of measures used also suggest likely demonstration of effects, should such effects exist [33]. The age of the animals at the start of the experimental procedures, the absence of procedures earlier than this (e.g.…”

“…Without deliberately increasing stress, Carlezon et al [4], Coluccia et al [37] and Ferraz et al [7] report no effects of n-3PUFA supplementation on activity in the open field, Belzung et al [6] found no effects in ambulatory activity or anxiety-related activity in the elevated plus maze, and Shalbudina et al [38] found no effects in the forced swim test. Both Carlezon et al [4] and Ferraz et al [7] however, do report effects of n-3PUFAs in the forced swim test, and others report these same effects [e.g. 33,36].…”

Dietary DHA during development affects depression-like behaviors and biomarkers that emerge after puberty in adolescent rats

“…In particular, our study demonstrated that both pre-and postweaning DHA was required to positively affect all measures of depressive-like behavior when measured during postpubertal adolescence. Similar to Ferraz et al ( 88 ), Chen and Su ( 89 ) provided fi sh oil either only to the dam or to the dam and male offspring after weaning. Unfortunately, they did not have a completely omega-3 PUFA-defi cient group because offspring from dams fed defi cient diets were placed on postweaning suffi cient diets containing ␣ -linolenic acid and DHA.…”

“…What is unknown is whether pre-and postweaning omega-3 PUFA supplementation in female offspring has similar effects as those seen in our study with the male offspring. Regarding developmental timing of supplementation, Ferraz et al ( 88 ) fed fi sh oil either during gestation and lactation or only after weaning and found that both groups of male rat offspring had reduced immobility in the FST at 90 days of age as compared with controls on base diet alone. However, the FA composition of the base diet and the tissue levels of omega-3 PUFAs were not reported, making comparisons with our study diffi cult.…”

“…However, the FA composition of the base diet and the tissue levels of omega-3 PUFAs were not reported, making comparisons with our study diffi cult. Furthermore, we examined changes in behavior across puberty, and thus our assessments were performed on adolescents rather than adults, and Ferraz et al ( 88 ) did not have a group supplemented both before and after weaning. In particular, our study demonstrated that both pre-and postweaning DHA was required to positively affect all measures of depressive-like behavior when measured during postpubertal adolescence.…”