[Origin of non-essential cerebral fatty acids: in situ synthesis and exogenous intake (influence of nutritional factors)].

Fatty acids, saturated and monounsaturated of any chain length are synthesized in the brain through different enzymatic mechanisms, with different pathways located in various subcellular particles in defined cells. However when comparising in vitro results and fatty acids used by brain during its development, it is concluded that this organ only synthesized aprox. 60% of the fatty acids it needs. Thus exogenous origin does occur, from blood or even from diet, as shown by using labeled tracing molecules and analysis of under-nutritioned animals (intra-uterine hypotrophy).