Dietary essential fatty acids and gender-specific behavioral responses in cranially irradiated rats

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Authors: T David Elkin, Michael O Wollan, Stacy L Anderson, Robert Gaston, William Meyer, Bernard F Fuemmeler, Frank A Holloway, Rex E Martin

Published Date October 2006 Volume 2006:2(3) Pages 365 - 374

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S

T David Elkin¹, Michael O Wollan², Stacy L Anderson³, Robert Gaston², William Meyer⁴, Bernard F Fuemmeler⁵, Frank A Holloway⁶, Rex E Martin⁷

¹College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA; ²College of Medicine, Department of Radiation Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; ³College of Allied Health, Department of Radiologic Technology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Oklahoma City, OK, USA; ⁴College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; ⁵National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Prevention; ⁶College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; ⁷College of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Abstract: Specific memory deficits, reduced intellectual processing speed, and a variety of social and behavioral problems have been implicated as long-term effects of cranial radiation therapy (CRT). These deficits are thought to be related to changes in brain cytology and structure associated with microvascular aberrations. N-3 fatty acids may serve as protectants in pediatric patients who receive CRT for brain tumors. Timed-pregnant rat dams were fed one of four diets that were identical in all respects, except for their essential fatty acid content. The dams were placed on these diets at the beginning of the third trimester of gestation and their pups remained on them throughout the study. The rats’ behavioral response as judged by acoustic startle response (ASR) and neurocognitive response (performance in a radial maze, RM) were evaluated in relation to diet, gender, and CRT. The following hypotheses were tested: (1) female rats will show greater CRT-induced neurocognitive and behavioral deficits; (2) dietary n-3 fatty acids will diminish CRT-induced neurocognitive and behavioral deficits; (3) gender-specific differences would be dampened by n-3 fatty acids in the diet. All three hypotheses were partially supported. These findings are discussed in light of the potential neuroprotective effects of n-3 fatty acids.

Keywords: cranial radiation therapy, learning and memory, fatty acid, omega-3, radial arm maze, acoustic startle test