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The effect of docosahexaenoic acid on the electroretinogram of the guinea pig

  • Symposium on Dietary Fat and Neural Development
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, is found in consistently high concentrations in the retinae of mammals, yet its role in vision remains unclear. In this study, a mammalian model of variable retinal DHA concentration has been developed, such that the retinal phospholipids of guinea pigs contained between 2.5 and 30.8% DHA. Visual function was assessed using full-field flash electroretinography, over a range of exposure levels spanning six log units. Trend analysis indicated that retinal function was altered by the tissue DHA level, and was described by a second-order polynomial “inverted U-shaped” function. The results suggested that although some amount of DHA is essential for normal retinal function increases in the DHA level past an optimal amount, found to be 19%, provided diminishing returns. In this study, manipulation of the retinal DHA level accounted for 21–35% of the electroretinographic variability.

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Abbreviations

22∶5n-6:

Docosapentaenoic acid

CO:

canola oil

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid

ERG:

electroretinogram

FO:

fish oil

LC:

laboratory chow (commercial chow)

PUFA:

polyunsaturated fatty acids

SO:

safflower oil

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Melbourne, 3052, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Harrison S. Weisinger & Algis J. Vingrys

  2. Department of Food Science, royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, GPO Box 2476V, 3000, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Andrew J. Sinclair

Authors
  1. Harrison S. Weisinger
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  2. Algis J. Vingrys
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  3. Andrew J. Sinclair
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Additional information

Based on a presentation at the AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo in San Antonio, Texas, May 7–11, 1995.

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Weisinger, H.S., Vingrys, A.J. & Sinclair, A.J. The effect of docosahexaenoic acid on the electroretinogram of the guinea pig. Lipids 31, 65–70 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02522413

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02522413

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