Table 2.
Data extracted from rodent studies: analyses and main results of rodent studies.
| Article | Behavioral Tests | Biochemical Analyses | Behavioral Results | Biochemical Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dornellas et al. [64] | EPM; FST Modified. | No Biochemical Analyses were performed. | High fat diet had an anxiolytic effect regardless the fatty acid composition. No differences were found in depressive-like behaviors. |
In the hippocampus, fish oil diet induced a stimulation in the serotoninergic activity, which is expressed in an increase in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels and in serotonergic turnover. |
| Wu et al. [65] | EPM; FST; Sucrose Preference Test; Novelty Suppressed Feeding Test. | Hormone Assay: ELISA Kit for E2; Apoptosis analysis: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated FITC-dUTP nick end labelling (Tunel) method; Microglia activation: Immunostaining of Iba-1; Cytokine Expression and Microglia Polarization: Western blot analysis of phosphorylation of NF-κB pp65, p65, IκB, iNOS, Arg-1 and β-actin; RT-PCR analysis. |
n-3 PUFA supplementation: reverted the OVX induced anxiety-like behaviors displaying notable anxiolytic properties; alleviated OVX induced depressive-like behaviors in the FST and NSFT. |
n-3 PUFA supplementation increased: IL-10; IL-4; IκB; p65. n-3 PUFA supplementation decreased: IL-1β; IL-6; NFκB; n-3 PUFA supplementation ameliorated: microglia activation; neuronal apoptosis. |
| Da Rocha et al. [66] | EPM; FST; Open Field. | Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and catalase in the brain tissue; Glutamate in the cerebrospinal fluid. |
The n-3 PUFA supplementation had an anxiolytic effect increasing the locomotory activity in the OF. The depression-like behavior was improved in the FST. No differences between groups were found in the EPM. |
n-3 PUFA supplementation did not had any effect on Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, catalase and glutamate. |
| Jin et al. [67] | FST. | Gas chromatography for the fatty acid composition of the brain tissue; Brain tissue levels of PGE2; Immunofluorescence staining for ER-α and ER-β; Blood samples collection to measure: serotonin serum levels; plasma estrogen levels; Hippocampal Western blot analysis of: CREB; pCREB; TNF-α; BDNF; IL-1β, IL-6; ER-α or ER-β. |
n-3 PUFA supplementation increased climbing and decreased immobility and had no significant effects on duration of swimming. | n-3 PUFA supplementation increased: serum serotonin concentrations; the brain phospholipid level of n-3 PUFA (20:5n3, 22:5n3 and 22:6n3) in a dose-dependent manner; expression of CREB (among 0% vs. 1% and 0% vs. 2%); expression of BDNF (among 0% vs. 2% and 1% vs. 2%); expression of ER-α (among 0% vs. 1% and 0% vs. 2%). n-3 PUFA supplementation decreased: PGE2 brain levels; brain phospholipid level of n-6 PUFA (20:4n6, 22:4n6 and 22:5n6) in a dose-dependent manner; TNF-α (among 0% vs. 2% and 1% vs. 2%); IL-6 (among 0% vs. 1% and 0% vs. 2%). |
| Choi et al. [68] | FST. | Gas chromatography for the fatty acid composition of the brain tissue; Plasma analysis for estrogens and malondialdehyde levels; Brain tissue levels of PGE2; Immunofluorescence staining for BDNF levels in DG. Serum analysis for: serotonin; NOx; superoxide dismutase levels. Hippocampal Western blot analysis for: CREB; pCREB; BDNF; TNF-α; IL-6; ER-α or ER-β. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging/spectroscopy of the left dorsal hippocampal region to calculate peak concentrations of: creatine; phosphocreatine; glucose; glutamate; myo-inositol. |
Supplementation with EPA and DHA, but not ALA, decreased the duration of immobility by 49%, and increased climbing by 69%. | Supplementation with: ALA increased brain phospholipid proportion of 18:3n3 as compared to the control, EPA and DHA diet. ALA, EPA and DHA increased the brain phospholipid proportions of 20:5n3, 22:5n3 and 22:6n3, this increase was greater with EPA and DHA than ALA supplementation. ALA, EPA and DHA decreased the brain phospholipid proportions of 18:2n6, 20:4n6, 22:4n6 and 22:5n6 and the decrease of proportions of 20:4n6, 22:4n6 and 22:5n6 were greater with of EPA and DHA than with ALA. EPA and DHA, increase serum serotonin levels by 29%. EPA and DHA decreased: PGE2 brain levels by 37%; serum concentrations of NOx by 52%; TNF-α expression by 26%; IL-6 expression by 29%. EPA and DHA increased hippocampal expression: hippocampal expression of ER-α by 21%; CREB by 34%; pCREB by 56%; BDNF by 32%. |
| Konuri et al. [69] | Eight-arm radial maze test; | Right cerebral hemisphere BDNF analysis using ELISA kit. E2 serum levels measured with ELISA kit. Golgi-Cox staining of the left cerebral hemisphere to evaluate dendritic arborization and length. |
The dietary supplementation of choline-DHA significantly improved the memory retention. | The dietary supplementation of choline-DHA: Increase BDNF levels; improved basal and apical dendritic branching points and dendritic intersections in CA1 and CA3; Did not show any effect on serum E2 concentration. |
Abbreviations: Arg-1, Arginase-1; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CA, Cornu Ammonis; CREB, cAMP response element binding protein; DG, dentate gyrus; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; EPM, elevated plus maze; ER, estrogen receptor; FST, forced swimming test; IL, interleukin; IκB, NF-κB inhibitor; NOx, nitrogen oxides; NSFT, novelty suppressed feeding test; OVX, ovariectomized; pCREB, phosphorylated CREB; PGE2, prostaglandin E2; pp65-p65 subunit; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.