FIG. 8.

Chronic spinal cord injury results in significant dicosahexaenoic acid (DHA) deficiency that is corrected by a ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-enriched diet. (A) Deficiency of the dietary-essential DHA (22:6, ω-3) was measured by assessing the levels of docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) (22:5, ω-6). After injury, both dietary groups presented significant increases in the ω-6 DPA to DHA ratio. Notably, injured animals consuming ω-3 PUFAs showed a significant reduction in the ω-6 DPA to DHA ratio when compared with injured animals receiving control diets at 8 weeks post-injury (wpi). This reduction was comparable to the baseline levels observed in the sham-operated animals receiving the control diet. The ω-6 DPA to DHA ratio was similar in both sham groups. Spearman rank correlation showed that the ω-6 DPA to DHA ratio is strongly associated with bladder (B), locomotor (C), and sensory function (D). Data were generated by correlating the levels of the ω-6 DPA to DHA with the number of days needed for full bladder recovery (1–11), the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor scores (0–21), and mechanical threshold changes from baseline at 8 wpi (% change from baseline). This was repeated for each animal receiving control diets (n=15–17 pairs for each behavioral test). R and p values are included for each graph. Line depicts the regression line. Black arrows in Y-axes represent direction of increased dysfunction in each behavioral test. Grey arrows in X-axes represent direction of increased DHA deficiency. Color image is available online at www.liebertpub.com/neu