Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on working memory in rats with increased sugar intake

Abstract

The “Western” diet, with its high sugar content and low levels of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3), has been linked to various cognitive deficits and mental disorders in animal models and humans. We have examined whether a dietary deficiency in n-3 in combination with increased sugar consumption affects working memory in rats. Wistar rats were bred and fed a high-sugar diet over several generations. The animals were randomly assigned to two groups: a group receiving physiologically adequate amounts of n-3 and a group fed an n-3-deficient diet. Thirty-one male, fourth generation rats were tested in a radial arm maze in order to assess working memory performance. Compared to rats receiving a diet with sufficient n-3, the n-3-deprived animals erred more frequently on working memory tasks, indicating that n-3 reduction in rats on a sugar-rich diet may have negative effects on working memory additional to those associated with high sugar consumption.

Keywords

• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Sugar
• Working memory
• Cognition
• Rat