Prominent Role of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Cortical Dopamine Metabolism

In this study the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) diet deficiency on dopamine metabolism were investigated in the rat frontal cortex by autoradiographic studies and microdialysis. Our results showed a 39% reduction in the vesicular monoamines transporter sites in the deficient group. The dopamine metabolites turnover after monoamine oxidase inhibition was increased in deficient rats without modification of the dopamine turnover. Moreover, extracellular dopamine was not changed in deficient rats after inhibition of the catecholaminergic transporters whereas it was greatly increased in the control rats, suggesting the decrease of dopamine release in deficient animals. These findings demonstrate that the decrease of the dopamine vesicular compartment under n-3 PUFA deficiency is accompanied by modifications of the dopamine metabolism.