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I. BACKGROUND Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3) is one of the two principal n-3 fatty acids in fish oils. In nervous tissues, there is little or no 18:3n3 or 20:5n3 and 22:6n3 predominates as not only the main n-3 fatty acid but also as the principal polyunsaturate (PUFA) since it occurs at a higher concentration than arachidonic acid (20:4n6) W. This acid is particularly concentrated in the aminophospholipids of neuronal membranes such as the synaptosomal plasma membrane and synaptic vesicles and in several phospholipids in retinal membranes such as the rod outer segment [2], For this reason, many have speculated that there is a crucial function that this polyunsaturate subserves in neurons and retinal cells in particular. This notion has been supported by a variety of studies that have suggested a functional deficit in an organ system after an n-3 deficient diet. These studies have been reviewed elsewhere [1,2], but the field is now developing at a more rapid pace and several new studies have been published. Recent studies by Connor and colleagues have indicated a visual acuity loss in non-human juvenile primates when the mothers were given safflower oil as the sole source of fat during their prenatal development and maintained on this diet after birth [3]. It has been known for two decades that the mammalian nervous system is difficult to deplete of its essential fatty acids, particularly in the adult. Therefore, the rather extreme dietary deprivation of the sort used in this study across more than one generation is required if a significant loss of 22:6n3 in the brain is desired. These authors were able to demonstrate a visual acuity loss that was not reversible when the diet was supplemented with menhaden oil to an extent that was successful in repleting brain 22:6n3. These findings also appear to be relevant to humans as premature infants appear to have cognitive deficits [4] and visual acuity losses [5] when fed formulas that do not contain long chain n3 fatty acids.

Docosahexaenoic Acid is an Essential Nutrient in the Nervous System