[High ratio of omega 6/omega 3 ratio children with neuropathies; cause or effect]

The n-3 and n-6 fatty acids compete for the same elongases and desaturases, still highly deficient synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids from n-3 linolenic acid. The n-3 polyunsaturated prevent disease and are important in the development and maintenance of neuronal activities, necessitating a proper relationship with their antagonists n-6. This paper studies the proportion of these fatty acids.

We analyzed the fatty acids of n- 3 and n-6 in sera and membrane phospholipid with 374 children neuropathies and 34 healthy children, using gas chromatography with mass detector. It has made the relevant statistical study.

The n-3 (EPA and DHA) in serum and their corresponding membrane phospholipids correlate better than the n-6 family. The major n-6 (LA and ARA) are equally in serum, being significantly higher in phospholipids of healthy children. The n-3 (EPA and DHA) have higher values in healthy children, both in serum and phospholipids, their sum is equal to the membrane phospholipids. The n-6/n-3 ratio is higher in children with neurological disorder in both samples.

Not being the cause of the high rate n-6/n- 3 neuropathy, however it is advisable to increase the intake of n-3, DHA particularly across the population, especially in children with neurological disorders.