Nat Commun: How does the lack of key fatty acids affect the behavior of future generations?

December 4, 2020 // --- Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for human body development, especially brain development, but Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be provided by diet.
In a recent study, scientists from INRAE and the University of Bordeaux collaborated with INSERM, The University of Lava and Toronto in Canada, and other partners (Harvard University, Basque Foundation, etc.) to focus on the effects of the diet during pregnancy and lactation on the brain, as well as on the development of future generations.
, they demonstrated for the first time in mice how under-ingested omega-3s alter the development of neurons in offspring, leading to memory deficits in offspring.
results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
(Photo: www.pixabay.com) Fatty acids (Omega -3 and Omega -6) are ingested in large quantities through the mother's diet during pregnancy and lactation, which in turn enters the brains of future generations.
scientific findings suggest that insufficient intake of these fatty acids during pregnancy can lead to cognitive impairment in children.
scientists from Nouvelle-Aquitaine Research Center and University of Bordeaux focused on a specific type of cell in the brain: small glial cells involved in a network of neurons involved in maintaining memory.
these macrophages are located in the outer environment of the brain and the interface between neurons.
during brain development, small glial cells "carve" networks of neurons by "swallowing" useless synapses, and retain only those neurons that are essential to brain function.
results show for the first time that insufficient intake of Omega-3 through the maternal diet affects the activity of small glial cells in the developing brain.
these cells are abnormally functional, i.e. they lose the ability to recognize synapses that need to be removed, so they "swallow" too many synapses, leading to poor formation of neural networks and reduced memory in future generations.
To study the link between Omega-3 intake and brain development, scientists have also developed several innovative techniques to evaluate the behavior modification of small glial cells to synapses, analyze their lipid content, and test different molecules to identify the molecules that cause this dysfunction.
determines how to restore.
work provides a new perspective on the study and will continue to be conducted in humans to better understand the link between Omega 3 and brain development.
in the general population, many pregnant women lack Omega 3, and early detection of individuals at risk can take preventive measures to compensate for this deficiency.
(Bioon.com) Source: How a maternal omega-3 deby can influence the behavioural development of of offspring in animals Original source: C. Madore et al. Essential omega-3 fatty acids tune microglial phagocytosis of synaptic elements in the mouse developing brain, Nature Communications (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19861-z。