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Developmental omega-3 supplementation improves motor skills in juvenile-adult rats
Addolorata Coluccia1, Pietro Borracci, Giuseppe Renna
1Department of Pharmacology and Human Physiology, Medical School, University of Bari, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
Insights
Perinatal omega-3 supplementation, rich in docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, significantly enhances motor coordination and balance in rats. This beneficial effect on motor skills persists long-term, impacting early development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), including omega-3 fatty acids, are vital for fetal and postnatal brain development.
- Maternal supply of LC-PUFAs influences offspring's cognitive and psychomotor development, with supplementation showing positive outcomes.
- Omega-3 fatty acids play crucial roles in gene expression for neuronal growth and synaptic development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of perinatal omega-3 supplementation on motor activity, coordination, learning, and memory in Sprague-Dawley rats.
- To determine if omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during gestation and lactation impacts key developmental milestones related to motor function.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant rats received either omega-3 (0.05g/kg or 1g/kg) or control (fruit juice) from gestational day 8 through lactation.
- Offspring were assessed for locomotor activity (open field), motor coordination/learning (rotarod/accelerod), and memory (passive avoidance) at postnatal days 21 and 90.
- The omega-3 formula comprised 27% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 53% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
Main Results:
- Perinatal omega-3 supplementation significantly improved motor coordination, evidenced by increased latency to fall on the rotarod at both tested ages and doses.
- No significant effects were observed on motor learning ability (accelerating rotarod) or general locomotor activity (open field test).
- Memory function, assessed via passive avoidance, was not significantly altered by the omega-3 treatment.
Conclusions:
- Perinatal omega-3 supplementation provides a lasting benefit to motor coordination and balance, as demonstrated by improved rotarod performance in rats.
- The findings suggest that DHA and EPA are crucial for developing neural pathways governing motor control and balance.
- While motor coordination is enhanced, omega-3 supplementation did not impact motor learning, activity, or memory in this study.
Abstract:
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are critical for brain growth spurt during both foetal and postnatal period. They play important roles in the expression of genes regulating cell differentiation and neuronal growth, as well as in the development of synaptic processing of neural cell interaction. Foetus and placenta are dependent on maternal supply for their growth and development, and supplemented infants show significantly greater mental and psychomotor scores. In particular, it has been shown that if mothers take omega-3 supplements, their babies are smarter and better physically coordinated. On these grounds, the aim of the present study was to investigate, in the Sprague-Dawley rat, the effects of perinatal treatment with omega-3 on motor activity, motor coordination, motor learning and memory. From gestational day 8 throughout the lactation period, dams received either an emulsion of 0.05g/kg body weight omega-3 in fruit juice, or an emulsion of 1g/kg body weight omega-3 in fruit juice or just the fruit juice (control). Omega-3 formula was made of 27% docosahexaenoic acid and 53% eicosapentaenoic acid. On the day of birth (postnatal day 1), all pups were weighed, and then randomly culled to eight pups per litter. Pups were weaned at 21 days of age. One male pup per litter from each litter (control, n=6; omega-3 0.05g/kg, n=5; omega-3 1g/kg, n=6) was used. Both control and treated rats were tested for (i) locomotor activity using the open field paradigm, (ii) motor coordination and motor learning using the rotarod/accelerod task and (iii) memory using the passive avoidance paradigm. Rats were tested on postnatal day 21 and re-tested on postnatal day 90. As a result, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation significantly improved motor coordination. In particular, the latency to fall at the first speed was significantly increased in the treated rats as compared to the control animals. This benefit was observed with both doses at each tested age. The rat performance in accelerating rotation speed mode, which provides an indication of motor learning ability, was not modified by the omega-3 supply. Finally, the omega-3 treatment did not influence motor activity in the open field-tested rats, nor the memory ability in the passive avoidance task. In conclusion, perinatal omega-3 supplementation exerts a long lasting beneficial effect on the rotarod performance indicating improvement in balance and motor coordination and, possibly, in the functioning of pathways governing this task.
