Deficit in prepulse inhibition in mice caused by dietary n-3 fatty acid deficiency

Perinatal Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Brain Development, Role in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential fatty acids that are provided by dietary intake. Growing evidence suggests that n-3 and n-6 PUFAs are paramount for brain functions. They constitute crucial elements of cellular membranes, especially in the brain. They are the precursors of several metabolites with different effects on inflammation and neuron outgrowth. Overall, long-chain PUFAs accumulate in the offspring brain during the embryonic and post-natal periods. In this review, we discuss how they accumulate in the developing brain, considering the maternal dietary supply, the polymorphisms of genes involved in their metabolism, and the differences linked to gender. We also report the mechanisms linking their bioavailability in the developing brain, their transfer from the mother to the embryo through the placenta, and their role in brain development. In addition, data on the potential role of altered bioavailability of long-chain n-3 PUFAs in the etiologies of neurodevelopmental diseases, such as autism, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia, are reviewed.

Loss of RAR-related orphan receptor alpha (RORα) selectively lowers docosahexaenoic acid in developing cerebellum

Deficiency in retinoid acid receptor-related orphan receptor alpha (RORα) of staggerer mice results in extensive granule and Purkinje cell loss in the cerebellum as well as in learned motor deficits, cognition impairments and perseverative tendencies that are commonly observed in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The effects of RORα on brain lipid metabolism associated with cerebellar atrophy remain unexplored. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of RORα deficiency on brain phospholipid fatty acid concentrations and compositions. Staggerer mice (Rora^sg/sg) and wildtype littermates (Rora^+/+) were fed n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) containing diets ad libitum. At 2 months and 7 or more months old, brain total phospholipid fatty acids were quantified by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection. In the cerebellum, all fatty acid concentrations were reduced in 2 months old mice. Since total fatty acid concentrations were significantly different at 2-month-old, we examined changes in fatty acid composition. The composition of ARA was not significantly different between genotypes; though DHA composition remained significantly lowered. Despite cerebellar atrophy at >7-months-old, cerebellar fatty acid concentrations had recovered comparably to wildtype control. Therefore, RORα may be necessary for fatty acid accretions during neurodevelopment. Specifically, the effects of RORα on PUFA metabolisms are region-specific and age-dependent.

A Randomised-Controlled Trial of Vitamin D and Omega-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Treatment of Core Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children

We evaluated the efficacy of vitamin D (VID), omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LCPUFA, OM), or both (VIDOM) on core symptoms of ASD. New Zealand children with ASD (n = 73; aged 2.5-8.0 years) received daily 2000 IU vitamin D₃, 722 mg docosahexaenoic acid, both, or placebo. Outcome measures were Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Sensory Processing Measure (SPM). Of 42 outcome measures comparisons (interventions vs. placebo), two showed greater improvements (P = 0.03, OM and VIDOM for SRS-social awareness) and four showed trends for greater improvements (P < 0.1, VIDOM for SRS-social communicative functioning, OM for SRS-total, VIDOM for SPM-taste/smell and OM for SPM-balance/motion). Omega-3 LCPUFA with and without vitamin D may improve some core symptoms of ASD but no definitive conclusions can be made.

Breastfeeding and behavioural problems: Propensity score matching with a national cohort of infants in Chile

IMPORTANCE

Potential effects of breast feeding on children's behaviour remains an elusive debate given inherent methodological challenges. Propensity score matching affords benefits by ensuring greater equivalence on observable social and health determinants, helping to reduce bias between groups.

OBJECTIVES

We examined whether the duration of breast feeding had an impact on children's externalising and internalising behaviours.

STUDY DESIGN

A cohort study (Encuesta Longitudinal de la Primera Infancia cohort) that included 3037 Chilean families who were enrolled in 2010. Follow-up data was collected in 2012.

SETTING

General community.

PARTICIPANTS

Population-based sample. Eligibility criteria: children born full-term with complete data on matching variables. Matching variables included: healthcare system as a proxy of income, presence of a partner/spouse in the household, maternal age, educational level, IQ, working status, type of work, diagnosis of prenatal depression by a healthcare professional, smoking during pregnancy, delivery type, child sex, weight at birth, incubation following delivery, and child age.

EXPOSURE

Duration of breast feeding.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Externalising and internalising problems assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist.

RESULTS

Matched results revealed benefits of any breast feeding, up to 6 months, on emotional reactivity and somatic complaints (mean difference of -1.00, 95% CI, -1.84 to -0.16 and -1.02, 95% CI, -1.76 to -0.28, respectively). Children breast fed between 7 and 12 months also had reduced scores on emotional reactivity, in addition to attention problems (mean difference of -0.86, 95% CI, -1.66 to -0.06 and -0.50, 95% CI, -0.93 to -0.07, respectively). No benefits were observed for children breast fed 13 months or more.

CONCLUSION

Reduced internalising difficulties and inattention were found in children breast fed up to a year, suggesting that breast feeding may have beneficial impacts on these areas of development. The magnitude of effect was modest. Extended durations of breast feeding did not appear to offer any benefits.

Controversies and prospects about microglia in maternal immune activation models for neurodevelopmental disorders

Activation of the maternal immune system during pregnancy is a well-established risk factor for neuropsychiatric disease in the offspring, yet, the underlying mechanisms leading to altered brain function remain largely undefined. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, are key to adequate development of the central nervous system (CNS), and are prime candidates to mediate maternal immune activation (MIA)-induced brain abnormalities. As such, the effects of MIA on the immunological phenotype of microglia has been widely investigated. However, contradicting results due to differences in read-out and methodological approaches impede final conclusions on MIA-induced microglial alterations. The aim of this review is to critically discuss the evidence for an activated microglial phenotype upon MIA.

N-3 (Omega-3) Fatty Acids: Effects on Brain Dopamine Systems and Potential Role in the Etiology and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

A number of neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and, to some extent, depression, involve dysregulation of the brain dopamine systems. The etiology of these diseases is multifactorial, involving genetic and environmental factors. Evidence suggests that inadequate levels of n-3 (omega- 3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the brain may represent a risk factor for these disorders. These fatty acids, which are derived from the diet, are a major component of neuronal membranes and are of particular importance in brain development and function. Low levels of n-3 PUFAs in the brain affect the brain dopamine systems and, when combined with appropriate genetic and other factors, increase the risk of developing these disorders and/or the severity of the disease. This article reviews the neurobiology of n-3 PUFAs and their effects on dopaminergic function.

CONCLUSION

Clinical studies supporting their role in the etiologies of diseases involving the brain dopamine systems and the potential of n-3 PUFAs in the treatment of these disorders are discussed.

Vulnerability to omega-3 deprivation in a mouse model of NMDA receptor hypofunction

Several studies have found decreased levels of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain and blood of schizophrenia patients. Furthermore, dietary ω-3 supplements may improve schizophrenia symptoms and delay the onset of first-episode psychosis. We used an animal model of NMDA receptor hypofunction, NR1KD mice, to understand whether changes in glutamate neurotransmission could lead to changes in brain and serum fatty acids. We further asked whether dietary manipulations of ω-3, either depletion or supplementation, would affect schizophrenia-relevant behaviors of NR1KD mice. We discovered that NR1KD mice have elevated brain levels of ω-6 fatty acids regardless of their diet. While ω-3 supplementation did not improve any of the NR1KD behavioral abnormalities, ω-3 depletion exacerbated their deficits in executive function. Omega-3 depletion also caused extreme mortality among male mutant mice, with 75% mortality rate by 12 weeks of age. Our studies show that alterations in NMDAR function alter serum and brain lipid composition and make the brain more vulnerable to dietary ω-3 deprivation.

Depletion of omega-3 fatty acids in a mouse model of schizophrenia with altered glutamate transmission has a lethal effect in males. Previous studies have suggested that omega-3 supplements may improve the symptoms of schizophrenia. Amy Ramsey and colleagues at the University of Toronto, Canada, show in an established genetic mouse model of the disease that omega-3 dietary supplementation increased brain omega-3 levels, but did not have any beneficial effects on features that mirror symptoms of patients with schizophrenia such as increased locomotor activity or reduced social behavior. Interestingly, omega-3 dietary depletion worsened the cognitive performance and drastically increased the mortality rate of male mutant mice. The mechanisms responsible for these effects remain to be determined, but the findings highlight a potentially serious vulnerability of patients to dietary omega-3 deficits.

Neuroinflammation in Autism: Plausible Role of Maternal Inflammation, Dietary Omega 3, and Microbiota

Several genetic causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been identified. However, more recent work has highlighted that certain environmental exposures early in life may also account for some cases of autism. Environmental insults during pregnancy, such as infection or malnutrition, seem to dramatically impact brain development. Maternal viral or bacterial infections have been characterized as disruptors of brain shaping, even if their underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Poor nutritional diversity, as well as nutrient deficiency, is strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in children. For instance, imbalanced levels of essential fatty acids, and especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), are observed in patients with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia). Interestingly, PUFAs, and specifically n-3 PUFAs, are powerful immunomodulators that exert anti-inflammatory properties. These prenatal dietary and immunologic factors not only impact the fetal brain, but also affect the microbiota. Recent work suggests that the microbiota could be the missing link between environmental insults in prenatal life and future neurodevelopmental disorders. As both nutrition and inflammation can massively affect the microbiota, we discuss here how understanding the crosstalk between these three actors could provide a promising framework to better elucidate ASD etiology.

Effect of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on brain neurotrophins and cognition in rats: A multigeneration study

Vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids are important nutrients required for neuronal functioning. We have demonstrated the beneficial effects of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on brain neurotrophins and cognition in the first and second generation offspring. However, there is a need to examine if the effects are sustained in the third generation offspring. This study reports the effects of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation across three consecutive generations on brain neurotrophins like brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); nerve growth factor (NGF) and cognitive performance in the third generation male offspring. Three successive generations of Wistar rats were assigned the following groups throughout pregnancy, lactation and adulthood: i) Control, ii) vitamin B12 deficient (BD), iii) vitamin B12 deficient + omega-3 fatty acid (BDO), iv) vitamin B12 supplemented (BS) and v) vitamin B12 supplemented + omega-3 fatty acid (BSO). The BD group demonstrated lower (p < 0.01) NGF in the cortex but not BDNF levels although the cognition was impaired (p < 0.01). In contrast, in the BDO group, higher NGF levels were observed in the hippocampus and animals demonstrated improved (p < 0.01) cognitive performance. Vitamin B12 supplementation showed comparable BDNF levels in the hippocampus while their levels were lower in the cortex as compared to the control (p < 0.05). These animals showed more reference and working memory errors (p < 0.01) as compared to the control group. A combined supplementation of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acid showed higher (p < 0.01) levels of DHA and NGF in the hippocampus, higher BDNF in both hippocampus and cortex and improved cognitive performance. Our findings have implications for fortification of foods with vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids in improving brain development.

Dietary docosahexaenoic acid alleviates autistic-like behaviors resulting from maternal immune activation in mice

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders over the last several decades has risen at an alarming rate. Factors such as broadened clinical definitions and increased parental age only partially account for this precipitous increase, suggesting that recent changes in environmental factors may also be responsible. One such factor could be the dramatic decrease in consumption of anti-inflammatory dietary omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) relative to the amount of pro-inflammatory omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs and saturated fats in the Western diet. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the principle n-3 PUFA found in neural tissue and is important for optimal brain development, especially during late gestation when DHA rapidly and preferentially accumulates in the brain. In this study, we tested whether supplementation of a low n-3 PUFA diet with DHA throughout development could improve measures related to autism in a mouse model of maternal immune activation. We found that dietary DHA protected offspring from the deleterious effects of gestational exposure to the viral mimetic polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid on behavioral measures of autism and subsequent adulthood immune system reactivity. These data suggest that elevated dietary levels of DHA, especially during pregnancy and nursing, may help protect normal neurodevelopment from the potentially adverse consequences of environmental insults like maternal infection.

The Placenta as a Mediator of Stress Effects on Neurodevelopmental Reprogramming

Adversity experienced during gestation is a predictor of lifetime neuropsychiatric disease susceptibility. Specifically, maternal stress during pregnancy predisposes offspring to sex-biased neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorders. Animal models have demonstrated disease-relevant endophenotypes in prenatally stressed offspring and have provided unique insight into potential programmatic mechanisms. The placenta has a critical role in the deleterious and sex-specific effects of maternal stress and other fetal exposures on the developing brain. Stress-induced perturbations of the maternal milieu are conveyed to the embryo via the placenta, the maternal-fetal intermediary responsible for maintaining intrauterine homeostasis. Disruption of vital placental functions can have a significant impact on fetal development, including the brain, outcomes that are largely sex-specific. Here we review the novel involvement of the placenta in the transmission of the maternal adverse environment and effects on the developing brain.

Docosahexaenoic acid partially ameliorates deficits in social behavior and ultrasonic vocalizations caused by prenatal ethanol exposure

Prenatal ethanol exposure disrupts social behavior in humans and rodents. One system particularly important for social behavior is the somatosensory system. Prenatal ethanol exposure alters the structure and function of this area. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, is necessary for normal brain development and brains from ethanol-exposed animals are DHA deficient. Thus, we determined whether postnatal DHA supplementation ameliorated behavioral deficits induced by prenatal ethanol exposure. Timed pregnant Long-Evans rats were assigned to one of three groups: ad libitum access to an ethanol-containing liquid diet, pair fed an isocaloric isonutritive non-alcohol liquid diet, or ad libitum access to chow and water. Pups were assigned to one of two postnatal treatment groups; gavaged intragastrically once per day between postnatal day (P)11 and P20 with DHA (10 mg/kg in artificial rat milk) or artificial rat milk. A third group was left untreated. Isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (iUSVs) were recorded on P14. Social behavior and play-induced USVs were tested on P28 or P42. Somatosensory performance was tested with a gap crossing test around P33 or on P42. Anxiety was tested on elevated plus maze around P35. Animals exposed to ethanol prenatally vocalized less, play fought less, and crossed a significantly shorter gap than control-treated animals. Administration of DHA ameliorated these ethanol-induced deficits such that the ethanol-exposed animals given DHA were no longer significantly different to control-treated animals. Thus, DHA administration may have therapeutic value to reverse some of ethanol's damaging effects.

Differential expression and regulatory roles of FABP5 and FABP7 in oligodendrocyte lineage cells

Fatty-acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are key intracellular molecules involved in the uptake, transportation and storage of fatty acids and in the mediation of signal transduction and gene transcription. However, little is known regarding their expression and function in the oligodendrocyte lineage. We evaluate the in vivo and in vitro expression of FABP5 and FABP7 in oligodendrocyte lineage cells in the cortex and corpus callosum of adult mice, mixed cortical culture and oligosphere culture by immunofluorescent counter-staining with major oligodendrocyte lineage markers. In all settings, FABP7 expression was detected in NG2(+)/PDGFRα(+) oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) that did not express FABP5. FABP5 was detected in mature CC1(+)/MBP(+) oligodendrocytes that did not express FABP7. Analysis of cultured OPCs showed a significant decrease in the population of FABP7-knockout (KO) OPCs and their BrdU uptake compared with wild-type (WT) OPCs. Upon incubation of OPCs in oligodendrocyte differentiation medium, a significantly lower percentage of FABP7-KO OPCs differentiated into O4(+) oligodendrocytes. The percentage of mature MBP(+) oligodendrocytes relative to whole O4(+)/MBP(+) oligodendrocytes was significantly lower in FABP7-KO and FABP5-KO than in WT cell populations. The percentage of terminally mature oligodendrocytes with membrane sheet morphology was significantly lower in FABP5-KO compared with WT cell populations. Thus, FABP7 and FABP5 are differentially expressed in oligodendrocyte lineage cells and regulate their proliferation and/or differentiation. Our findings suggest the involvement of FABP7 and FABP5 in the pathophysiology of demyelinating disorders, neuropsychiatric disorder and glioma, conditions in which OPCs/oligodendrocytes play central roles.

Lower docosahexaenoic acid concentrations in the postmortem prefrontal cortex of adult depressed suicide victims compared with controls without cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND

A growing body of evidence suggests that deficits in long-chain omega-3 (LCn-3) fatty acids may contribute to major depressive disorder (MDD) and principal causes of excess mortality including suicide and cardiovascular disease. In the present study we compared concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), the principal LCn-3 fatty acid in brain, in the postmortem prefrontal cortex (BA10) of adult depressed suicide victims and controls with and/or without cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

DHA concentrations (μmol/g) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC, BA10) of adult male and female suicide victims (n = 20) and controls with (n = 8) or without (n = 12) cardiovascular disease were determined by gas chromatography.

RESULTS

There was a non-significant trend for lower DHA concentrations in suicide victims compared with all controls (-10%, p = 0.06, d = 0.5). Significantly lower DHA concentrations were observed in suicide victims compared with controls without cardiovascular disease (-14%, p = 0.03, d = 0.7) but not controls with cardiovascular disease (-4%, p = 0.71, d = 0.1). There was a non-significant trend for lower DHA concentrations in controls with cardiovascular disease compared with controls without cardiovascular disease (-11%, p = 0.1, d = 0.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Adult depressed suicide victims exhibit lower postmortem PFC DHA concentrations compared with controls without cardiovascular disease. These data add to a growing body of evidence implicating DHA deficits in the pathophysiology of MDD, suicide, and cardiovascular disease.

Influence of omega-3 fatty acid status on the way rats adapt to chronic restraint stress

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for several neuronal and cognitive functions. Altered omega-3 fatty acid status has been implicated in reduced resistance to stress and mood disorders. We therefore evaluated the effects of repeated restraint stress (6 h/day for 21 days) on adult rats fed omega-3 deficient, control or omega-3 enriched diets from conception. We measured body weight, plasma corticosterone and hippocampus glucocorticoid receptors and correlated these data with emotional and depression-like behaviour assessed by their open-field (OF) activity, anxiety in the elevated-plus maze (EPM), the sucrose preference test and the startle response. We also determined their plasma and brain membrane lipid profiles by gas chromatography. Repeated restraint stress caused rats fed a control diet to lose weight. Their plasma corticosterone increased and they showed moderate behavioural changes, with increases only in grooming (OF test) and entries into the open arms (EPM). Rats fed the omega-3 enriched diet had a lower stress-induced weight loss and plasma corticosterone peak, and reduced grooming. Rats chronically lacking omega-3 fatty acid exhibited an increased startle response, a stress-induced decrease in locomotor activity and exaggerated grooming. The brain omega-3 fatty acids increased as the dietary omega-3 fatty acids increased; diets containing preformed long-chain omega-3 fatty acid were better than diets containing the precursor alpha-linolenic acid. However, the restraint stress reduced the amounts of omega-3 incorporated. These data showed that the response to chronic restraint stress was modulated by the omega-3 fatty acid supply, a dietary deficiency was deleterious while enrichment protecting against stress.

FABP7 expression in normal and stab-injured brain cortex and its role in astrocyte proliferation

Reactive gliosis, in which astrocytes as well as other types of glial cells undergo massive proliferation, is a common hallmark of all brain pathologies. Brain-type fatty acid-binding protein (FABP7) is abundantly expressed in neural stem cells and astrocytes of developing brain, suggesting its role in differentiation and/or proliferation of glial cells through regulation of lipid metabolism and/or signaling. However, the role of FABP7 in proliferation of glial cells during reactive gliosis is unknown. In this study, we examined the expression of FABP7 in mouse cortical stab injury model and also the phenotype of FABP7-KO mice in glial cell proliferation. Western blotting showed that FABP7 expression was increased significantly in the injured cortex compared with the contralateral side. By immunohistochemistry, FABP7 was localized to GFAP⁺ astrocytes (21% of FABP7⁺ cells) and NG2⁺ oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (62%) in the normal cortex. In the injured cortex there was no change in the population of FABP7⁺/NG2⁺ cells, while there was a significant increase in FABP7⁺/GFAP⁺ cells. In the stab-injured cortex of FABP7-KO mice there was decrease in the total number of reactive astrocytes and in the number of BrdU⁺ astrocytes compared with wild-type mice. Primary cultured astrocytes from FABP7-KO mice also showed a significant decrease in proliferation and omega-3 fatty acid incorporation compared with wild-type astrocytes. Overall, these data suggest that FABP7 is involved in the proliferation of astrocytes by controlling cellular fatty acid homeostasis.

Chronic dietary intake of α-linolenic acid does not replicate the effects of DHA on passive properties of entorhinal cortex neurons

n-3 PUFA are receiving growing attention for their therapeutic potential in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. We have recently shown that long-term treatment with DHA alters the physiology of entorhinal cortex (EC) neurons. In the present study, we investigated by patch-clamp the effect of another major dietary n-3 PUFA, α-linolenic acid (LNA), on the intrinsic properties of EC neurons. Mice were chronically exposed to isoenergetic diets deficient in n-3 PUFA or enriched in either DHA or LNA on an equimolar basis. GC analyses revealed an increase in DHA (34%) and a decrease in arachidonic acid (AA, - 23%) in brain fatty acid concentrations after consumption of the DHA-enriched diet. Dietary intake of LNA similarly affected brain fatty acid profiles, but at a lower magnitude (DHA: 23%, AA: - 13%). Compared to the n-3 PUFA-deficient diet, consumption of DHA, but not LNA, induced membrane hyperpolarisation ( -60 to -70 mV), increased cellular capacitance (32%) and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current frequency (50%). We propose that the inefficiency of LNA to modulate cellular capacitance was related to its inability to increase the brain DHA:AA ratio over the threshold necessary to up-regulate syntaxin-3 (46%) and translocate drebrin (40% membrane:cytosol ratio). In summary, our present study shows that the increase in brain DHA content following chronic administration of LNA was not sufficient to alter the passive and synaptic properties of EC neurons, compared to direct dietary intake of DHA. These diverging results have important implications for the therapeutic use of n-3 PUFA in CNS disease, favouring the use of preformed DHA.

Animal studies of the functional consequences of suboptimal polyunsaturated fatty acid status during pregnancy, lactation and early post-natal life

Scores of animal studies demonstrate that seed oils replete with linoleic acid and very low in linolenic acid fed as the exclusive source of fat through pregnancy and lactation result in visual, cognitive, and behavioural deficits in the offspring. Commodity peanut, sunflower, and safflower oils fed to mother rats, guinea pigs, rhesus monkeys, and baboons induce predictable changes in tissue polyunsaturated fatty acid composition that are abnormal in free-living land mammals as well as changes in neurotransmitter levels, catecholamines, and signalling compounds compared with animals with a supply of ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. These diets consistently induce functional deficits in electroretinograms, reflex responses, reward or avoidance induced learning, maze learning, behaviour, and motor development compared with ω3 replete groups. Boosting neural tissue docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by feeding preformed DHA enhances visual and cognitive function. Though no human randomized controlled trials on minimal ω3 requirements in pregnancy and lactation have been conducted, the weight of animal evidence compellingly shows that randomizing pregnant or lactating humans to diets that include high linoleate oils as the sole source of fat would be frankly unethical because they would result in suboptimal child development. Increasing use of commodity ω3-deficient oils in developing countries, many in the name of heart health, will limit brain development of the next generation and can be easily corrected at minimal expense by substituting high oleic acid versions of these same oils, in many cases blended with small amounts of α-linolenic acid oils like flax or perilla oil. Inclusion of DHA in these diets is likely to further enhance visual and neural development.