Essential fatty acid deficiency and lipid metabolism of the developing brain

EFA deficiency was produced not by feeding a fat free diet but by feeding a diet high in oleic but low in linoleic acid content. The competition from oleic acid, but not from saturated acids, in the utilization of linoleic acid resulted in EFA deficiency. When such a diet is given from the second week of pregnancy, the progeny develop AFA deficiency in the brain as indicated by increased ratio of triene/tetraene in the brain lipid components as well as subcellular fractions. Male rats show a higher deficiency state than females. The lipid/protein ratio was decreased in microsomes and myelin EPG showed an unusually low amount of odd chain fatty acids. The biosynthetic pathways leading to this abnormally low amount are under investigation.