Effects of dietary gamma-linolenic acid and prenatal ethanol on mouse brain and behavior

Pregnant B6D2F mice were treated with ethanol (25% Kcal) from days 5-17 of gestation. The diet was supplemented with either 18 : 2n-6 [linoleic acid (LA)] or 18 : 3n-6 [gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)] throughout the study. Ethanol reduced 20 and 22 carbon n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in the brains of adult offspring. Feeding of GLA, compared with LA, increased levels of 20 : 3n-6 and 22 : 4n-6, but reduced 22 : 6n-3, particularly in the offspring of dams administered ethanol during gestation; adult brain weight was also lower in this group. Ethanol reduced the number of viable litters and adult body weight, and GLA reduced birth weight. Neither prenatal ethanol nor GLA affected open-field activity in adult males, nor did either treatment have an effect on the duration of immobility in the forced swimming test. However, GLA did affect circadian activity by increasing running wheel activity during the dark cycle, and decreasing it slightly during the light cycle. These results do not support a beneficial effect of GLA in preventing the developmental effects of ethanol; we suggest caution in the administration of high doses of GLA with ethanol during pregnancy.