ESSENTIALITY OF DIETARY OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS IN PRIMATES

描述(研究人员摘要)：饮食n-3的重要性 脂肪酸仍然是人类营养中一个尚未解决的问题。高潮 磷脂中二十二碳六烯酸(22：6n3或DHA)的含量 视网膜和大脑皮质在光感受器和大脑皮质中起重要作用 神经细胞膜的功能。我们观察到了n-3的显著影响 恒河猴产前和产后联合应用脂肪酸剥夺的研究 后天发育。视网膜和脑磷脂中的DHA水平为 极大地降低了视力发育和视网膜电图 不正常。对视网膜电信号(ERG)的影响不可逆 在10个月或更大的时候，用鱼油或纯DHA重新喂养。行为 影响包括大量增加液体摄入量(多饮)，增加 刻板的行为，以及学习任务中的顽固错误。猴子 只有出生后才被剥夺的儿童表现出相似的ERG变化和多饮。他们 建议对恒河猴进行新的研究，以调查剩余的一些 关于饮食中n-3脂肪酸缺乏的影响的关键问题： (1)哪种饮食中的n-3脂肪酸对功能发育是最佳的？ 婴儿应该接受预制的DHA，还是他们能合成足够的DHA 来自膳食中的α-亚麻酸？(2)膳食中n-3的最低摄入量是多少？ 脂肪酸是促进出生后正常发育所必需的吗？是 一些广泛使用的人类婴儿配方奶粉能提供足够的量吗？ (3)这种缺陷对视网膜功能的影响能被逆转吗 在10个月前重新喂食n-3脂肪酸，可以 定义临界期？(4)低饮食n-3脂肪酸的影响 能从高n-3脂肪酸中分离出来吗？(5)n-3脂肪酸 缺乏会影响视觉以外的感觉系统；而 缺乏会影响复杂的认知能力，包括学习和 记忆？(6)这种缺陷如何改变磷脂分子的种类 脑磷脂代谢关键酶的组成、活性 血浆和组织中维生素E和过氧化氢水平以及脂褐素 在视网膜和其他组织中堆积？这些研究将有助于 确定发育过程中n-3脂肪酸的营养需求，并 确定这些脂肪酸在神经功能中的作用。这个 研究对孕妇和婴儿的最佳饮食具有重要意义 哺乳妇女以及婴儿和儿童。

DESCRIPTION (Investigator's Abstract): The essentiality of dietary n-3 fatty acids remains an unresolved issue in human nutrition. The high content of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3 or DHA) in the phospholipids of retina and cerebral cortex suggested an important role in photoreceptor and neuronal membrane functions. We have observed significant effects of n-3 fatty acid deprivation in rhesus monkeys during combined prenatal and postnatal development. DHA levels in retinal and brain phospholipids were greatly reduced, and visual acuity development and electroretinograms were abnormal. Effects on the electroretinogram (ERG) were not reversible by refeeding with fish oil or pure DHA at 10 months or older. Behavioral effects included large increases in fluid intake (polydipsia), increased stereotyped behaviors, and persevering errors in a learning task. Monkeys deprived only postnatally showed similar ERG changes and polydipsia. They propose new studies with rhesus monkeys to investigate some remaining critical questions about the effects of dietary n-3 fatty acid deficiency: (1) What dietary n-3 fatty acid is optimal for functional development? Should infants receive preformed DHA or can they synthesize sufficient DHA from dietary alpha-linolenic acid? (2) What minimum amount of dietary n-3 fatty acids is needed to promote normal postnatal development? Are sufficient quantities provided by some widely-used human infant formulas? (3) Can effects of the deficiency on retinal function be reversed by refeeding with n-3 fatty acids at ages earlier than 10 months, and can a critical period be defined? (4) Can effects of low dietary n-3 fatty acids be separated from those of high n-3 fatty acids? (5) Does n-3 fatty acid deficiency affect sensory systems other than visual; and does the deficiency affect complex cognitive abilities including learning and memory? (6) How does the deficiency alter phospholipid molecular species composition, activity of key enzymes in brain phospholipid metabolism, vitamin E and peroxide levels in plasma and tissues, and lipofuscin accumulation in the retina and other tissues? These studies will help to determine nutritional needs for n-3 fatty acids during development and to establish the role of these fatty acids in neural functioning. The research has important implications for optimum diets of pregnant and lactating women as well as infants and children.