Effect of C 18:3 (n-3) dietary supplementation on the fatty acid composition of the rat brain.

Weanling rats have been fed different diets containing hydrogenated coconut oil or a mixture of grapestone + linseed oil as dietary fats. Groups of 12 animals have been sacrificed at weanling or after 60 or 120 days of this dietary treatment. Body and brain weight, brain total lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol, cerebroside, fatty acid content and fatty acid composition have been evaluated. The diet rich in alphalinolenic acid (C 18:3 n-3) induced a significant increase of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (C 22:5 and C 22:6, n-3) in the brain, with respect to the other experimental conditions.