Docosahexaenoic acid promotes hippocampal neuronal development and synaptic function

Dehua Cao, Karl Kevala, Jeffrey Kim, Hyun Seuk Moon, Sang Beom Jun, David Lovinger, Hee Yong Kim

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    319 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), the major polyunsaturated fatty acid accumulated in the brain during development, has been implicated in learning and memory, but underlying cellular mechanisms are not clearly understood. Here, we demonstrate that DHA significantly affects hippocampal neuronal development and synaptic function in developing hippocampi. In embryonic neuronal cultures, DHA supplementation uniquely promoted neurite growth, synapsin puncta formation and synaptic protein expression, particularly synapsins and glutamate receptors. In DHA-supplemented neurons, spontaneous synaptic activity was significantly increased, mostly because of enhanced glutamatergic synaptic activity. Conversely, hippocampal neurons from DHA-depleted fetuses showed inhibited neurite growth and synaptogenesis. Furthermore, n-3 fatty acid deprivation during development resulted in marked decreases of synapsins and glutamate receptor subunits in the hippocampi of 18-day-old pups with concomitant impairment of long-term potentiation, a cellular mechanism underlying learning and memory. While levels of synapsins and NMDA receptor subunit NR2A were decreased in most hippocampal regions, NR2A expression was particularly reduced in CA3, suggesting possible role of DHA in CA3-NMDA receptor-dependent learning and memory processes. The DHA-induced neurite growth, synaptogenesis, synapsin, and glutamate receptor expression, and glutamatergic synaptic function may represent important cellular aspects supporting the hippocampus-related cognitive function improved by DHA.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)510-521
    Number of pages12
    JournalJournal of Neurochemistry
    Volume111
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2009 Oct

    Keywords

    • Docosahexaenoic acid
    • Hippocampal development
    • Long-term potentiation
    • Neurite growth
    • Synaptic function
    • Synaptogenesis

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Biochemistry
    • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Docosahexaenoic acid promotes hippocampal neuronal development and synaptic function'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this