Polyenoic fatty acid deprivation of juvenile cats modulates 3H-dopamine release from presynaptic receptors in caudate slices.

A classical neurotransmitter release model was used to investigate the effect of the limitation of dietary polyenoic fatty acids on the function of presynaptic dopamine autoreceptors in slices from the caudate nucleus of kittens (juvenile domestic cats). Maximum inhibition of 3H-dopamine release was detected only in the brains of animals receiving post delta-6-desaturation fatty acids of both the omega 3 and omega 6 series. The removal of either, or both, groups of fatty acids resulted in attenuation of sensitivity of the autoreceptor to apomorphine. It would appear that omega 6 fatty acids are more important for a normal pattern of dopaminergic function to be established in the caudate nucleus of kittens.