Abstract
The kind of fat in the diet modifies the profile of fatty acids in brain and also
affects aminopeptidase activities in tissues. Although modifications in brain fatty
acids, neurotransmitters, or enzymes due to dietary fat composition have been reported,
no direct relationship has yet been described between specific brain fatty acid changes
and neuropeptide metabolism following the fat composition of the diet. We investigated
the lipid profile and some neuropeptidase activities in the frontal cortex of adult
male rats after a period in which diets were supplemented with fatty acids differing
in their degrees of saturation such as fish oil (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids,
PUFAs), olive oil (rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, MUFAs), and coconut oil (rich
in saturated fatty acids, SAFAs). It is observed that the diet composition affects
fatty acid distribution in the brain. Although there is no change of global aminopeptidase/neuropeptidase,
their activities in the brain correlate positively or negatively with the dietary
fat composition. It is hypothesized that fatty acid in the diet modifies membrane
fluidity, peptidases tertiary structure, and therefore, the availability and function
of neuropeptides. The present results support the notion that cognitive functions
may be modulated depending on the type of fat used in the diet.
Key words
aminopeptidases - brain - fatty acids
References
Correspondence
msanchez@ujaen.es
