2012 Volume 12 Issue 7 Pages 273-282
The nervous system, in contrast to other tissues, is enriched in the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4 ω-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6, ω-3). Despite their abundance in the nervous system, ARA and DHA cannot be synthesized de novo by mammals, must be obtained from dietary sources and transported to the brain, thus they are termed “essential fatty acids”. It is generally accepted that PUFA is particularly important for visual system maturation and brain development during infancy. Recent findings suggest that PUFA also plays a key role in maintaining cognitive function in elderly people and that supplementing the diet with PUFA improves some neurologic disorders. The effects of PUFA on cognitive function revealed by the results of animal experiments from the view point of behavior, electrophysiology, opto-physiology, membrane-biophysics, immunohistochemistry, and biochemistry are summarized in this review.
