Flaxseed mitigates brain mass loss, improving motor hyperactivity and spatial memory, in a rodent model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) encephalopathy is a major cause of perinatal morbimortality. There is growing evidence that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), attenuate brain injury. This study aimed to investigate the possible neuroprotective effect of maternal intake of flaxseed, rich in DHA׳s precursor α-linolenic acid, in the young male offspring subjected to perinatal HI. Wistar rats were divided in six groups, according to maternal diet and offspring treatment at day 7: Control HI (CHI) and Flaxseed HI (FHI); Control Sham and Flaxseed Sham; Control Control and Flaxseed Control. Flaxseed diet increased offspring׳s hippocampal DHA content and lowered depressive behavior. CHI pups presented brain mass loss, motor hyperactivity and poor spatial memory, which were improved in FHI rats. Maternal flaxseed intake may prevent depressive symptoms in the offspring and promote neuroprotective effects, in the context of perinatal HI, improving brain injury and its cognitive and behavioral impairments.

Influence of maternal diet during early pregnancy on the fatty acid profile in the fetus at late pregnancy in rats.

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of different dietary fatty acids during the first half of pregnancy on the fatty acid composition of maternal adipose tissue and of maternal and fetal plasma at mid- and late-pregnancy. Pregnant rats received soybean-, olive-, fish-, linseed- or palm-oil diets from conception to day 12 of gestation. Virgin rats receiving the same treatments were studied in parallel. At day 12, some rats were sacrificed and others were returned to the standard diet and studied at day 20. At day 12, the concentrations of most fatty acids in plasma reflected the dietary composition and individual fatty acids in lumbar adipose tissue of pregnant rats correlated with those in the diet. At day 20, the plasma concentration of each fatty acid was higher in pregnant than in both virgin rats and day-12 pregnant rats. The composition in 20-day pregnant (but not in virgin) rats resembled the diet consumed during the first 12 days. Fatty acid concentration in fetal plasma was also influenced by the maternal diet during the first 12 days of pregnancy, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) concentrations correlated with those in the mothers. In conclusion, during the first half of pregnancy maternal adipose tissue stores dietary-derived fatty acids, which are released into blood during late pregnancy enabling LC-PUFA to become available to the fetus.

Maternal intake of flaxseed-based diet (Linum usitatissimum) on hippocampus fatty acid profile: implications for growth, locomotor activity and spatial memory.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate flaxseed as a partial source of protein and an exclusive source of lipids and fibers in the development of the central nervous system by analyzing hippocampal fatty acid composition and cognitive and locomotor functions. METHODS: Experimental diets were given to dams during preconception, pregnancy, and lactation and to their pups after weaning. Female Wistar rats were separated into three groups according to experimental diet: a control group (CG) and a flaxseed group (FG), fed ad libitum diets, and a modified control group (MCG), pair-fed with the FG. After weaning, the pups received their mothers' diets. After 30 d, eight males from each group were tested in a Morris water maze to assess learning, memory, and motor function. RESULTS: The offspring of FG dams showed a lower body mass than CG dams, probably due to non-nutritional factors and an imbalance between ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids of the seed, and displayed a higher concentration of α-linolenic acid, possibly suggesting inhibition of arachidonic acid synthesis. The content of docosahexaenoic acid in the hippocampus was higher in the FG followed by the MCG compared with the CG. Hippocampal docosahexaenoic acid content correlated with better spatial memory performance in the FG, whereas arachidonic acid content correlated with longer time in solving the task. CONCLUSION: Flaxseed during perinatal and postweaning periods improves spatial memory to the detriment of growth. These findings indicate that there must be caution in encouraging the maternal intake of flaxseed during pregnancy and lactation.

Effects of maternal malnutrition and postnatal nutritional rehabilitation on brain fatty acids, learning, and memory.

Undernutrition still affects mothers and children in developing countries and thus remains the major focus of nutritional intervention efforts. Neuronal development, which classically includes neurogenesis, migration, maturation, and synapse refinement, begins in utero and continues into the early postnatal period. These processes are not only genetically regulated but also clearly susceptible to environmental manipulation. Dietary deprivation during early life is known to have adverse effects on brain anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry, and may even lead to permanent brain damage. Although all nutrients are important for the structural development of the central nervous system, lipids such as long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) and arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6), are important for normal brain development. The purpose of this literature review is to examine how early undernutrition involving a deficiency in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids can affect brain development and function and produce deficits in spatial cognitive learning ability.

Efecto de la semilla de linaza (Linum Usitatissimum) en el crecimiento de ratas Wistar / Effect of flaxseed (Linum Usitatissimum) on the growth of Wistar rats

The protein quality of a flaxseed diet was evaluated by biological methods. Forty-eight recently weaned male Wistar rats with 21 days of life and average weight of 42 g were randomly divided in 4 groups (n=12) and were fed, respectively, with a diet based on flaxseed added with casein (flaxseed group), casein alone (control group), casein with bigger concentration of oil and fibers to be compared to the flaxseed diet (modified control group) and a diet free of protein (non protein group). Animal weight, food and protein consumption were registered every other day to obtain the values for the Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), Food Efficiency Ratio and Net Protein Ratio (NPR). At the end of the experiment, the nutritional value of the flaxseed diet was inside the reference values for protein quality; however, it was not equivalent to the casein diet.

La calidad proteica de una dieta a base de linaza fue evaluada por medio de métodos biológicos. Fueron usados 48 Rattus norvegicus, Wistar, machos, con 21 días de vida, recién destetadas y con peso promedio de 42g. Los animales fueron divididos en 4 grupos (n=12) que recibieron, respectivamente, dieta a base de linaza adicionada de caseína, caseína, caseína con mayor concentración de aceite y fibras para equipararse a la dieta de linaza y dieta libre de proteína. Cada dos días fueron registrados el peso animal, el consumo de alimento y de proteína para aplicación de los métodos de evaluación biológica Razón de Eficiencia Proteica (PER), Coeficiente de Eficiencia Alimentaria (CEA) y Razón Proteica Neta (NPR). Al final del experimento, el valor nutricional de la dieta de linaza estuvo dentro de los valores de referencia de calidad proteica, pero no fue equivalente al de la dieta a base de caseína.