Dietary enrichment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reverses age-related decreases in the GluR2 and NR2B glutamate receptor subunits in rat forebrain

Neurobiol Aging. 2007 Mar;28(3):424-39. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.01.002. Epub 2006 Feb 28.

Abstract

Ageing is associated with a decrease in the brain content of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and with decreased neuroplasticity. The glutamate receptor subunits GluR2 and NR2B play a significant role in forebrain synaptic plasticity. We investigated GluR2 and NR2B in the aged prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum, and tested if treatment with a preparation containing EPA and DHA can reverse age-related changes. The study compared adult and old (3-4 and 24-26 month) rats, and the latter were fed a standard diet or a diet supplemented for 12 weeks with omega-3 PUFA at 270mg/kg/day (ratio EPA to DHA 1.5:1). Ageing was associated with decreases in the GluR2 and NR2B subunits in all structures. These decreases were fully reversed by omega-3 PUFA supplementation. Age-related changes in the phospholipid PUFA content were also seen. Decreases in DHA were mostly corrected by supplementation. This study supports the neuroprotective effect of omega-3 fatty acids in brain ageing, and illustrates specific mechanisms underlying this effect.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aging*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western / methods
  • Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / pharmacology*
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / pharmacology*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • In Situ Hybridization / methods
  • Male
  • Phosphatidylcholines / metabolism
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines / metabolism
  • Phosphatidylinositols / metabolism
  • Prosencephalon / drug effects*
  • Prosencephalon / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, AMPA / metabolism*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism*

Substances

  • Dietary Fats, Unsaturated
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • NR2B NMDA receptor
  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines
  • Phosphatidylinositols
  • Receptors, AMPA
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • phosphatidylethanolamine
  • glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 2