Article: Maternal dietary supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids confers neuroprotection to the newborn against hypoxia-induced dopamine dysfunction
Author: Michael J Decker, Karra Jones, Glenda L. Keating, Elizabeth G. Damato, and Rebecca Darrah
Source: NCBI US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
Date: June 7, 2016Summary: A mother's intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may lead to neuroprotection (the recovery or regeneration of the nervous system and its functioning) for newborns against the harmful effects of hypoxia-induced dopamine dysfunction. Hypoxia-induced refers to the deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues and dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is produced in various areas of the brain, including the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. This neuro-hormone is released by the hypothalamus and serves to release prolactin (a hormone that stimulates milk production after childbirth). Sadly, almost 84% of premature infants suffer hypoxic (lack of oxygen), anoxic (total depletion of oxygen), and ischemic (blood deficiency to brain) difficulties. Of these babies with live births, 8-11% have behavioral, motor, or cognitive dysfunction. Nothing has been found yet to prevent this phenomenon during pregnancy. However, dietary supplementation of omega-3 PUFAs have shown to reduce stroke-induced neuropathy in rats, so studies were expanded to determine whether omega-3s could impact neuroprotection for infants. This research was found by testing newborn rat pups exposed to repetitive hypoxic insults (which imitated the effects of premature childbirth in infants).
The results were that baseline brain dopamine
levels did not change between rats born to mothers who had consumes omega-3s and
standard rats. Rat pups born to mothers with regular diets who were exposed to
5 days of repetitive hypoxic insults experienced a 57% reduction in striatal
(part of the basal ganglia of the brain) dopamine levels and significant
apoptosis (death of cells). However, the omega-3 rich rat pups experienced no
loss in striatal dopamine levels and only minimal apoptosis. This research is
very promising for the brain development and neuroprotection of infants who are
exposed to hypoxic insults.
Hypoxic insults decrease dopamine production.
ReplyDeleteHow is Omega-3 combating the hypoxic insults in the brain?
Omega-3s in pregnant rat mothers mitigate the effects of hypoxic something something by allowing dopamine transmission.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the mechanism of this?
Mother rats with omega-3's had children that less often had dopamine defects.
ReplyDeleteHow can omega-3's affect dopamine across entire life spans and not just in young?
Baby rats whose mothers had an omega-3 diet before the baby rat was born did not show any fluctuation in dopamine levels.
ReplyDeleteOn a molecular level, how does omega-3 affect dopamine levels.
The rats with higher levels of omega-3s had lower levels of apoptosis than the other rats involved.
ReplyDeleteHave studies of this kind been done with human babies?
Lack of oxygen when baby is born can be helped by the use of Omega-3
ReplyDeleteHow does Omega-3 help the lack of oxygen?
84% of premature babies suffer from hypoxic, anoxic, and ischemic difficulties, with 8-11% having behavior, motor, or cognitive dysfuWhat are the causes of hypoxia?
ReplyDeleteBased on the test results with rats, omega-3 heavy diets could be hugely beneficial in decreasing hypoxic, anoxic, or ischemic brain issues in newborns.
ReplyDeleteHow applicable is the research in rats to newborns as far as omega-3's go?
In a rat study, if mom was given omega-3 supplements during pregnancy, the offspring (even if faced with a hypoxic insult) did not encounter decreased dopamine production.
ReplyDeleteHow does dopamine production (or lack thereof) lead to apoptosis?