Summary: Wainwright et al. (1999)

Linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid can not be synthesized by animals and must be obtained through their diet. These fatty acids are important for essential for growth and development. Wainwright et al. (1999) compared behavioural development of young born to female B6D2F1 mice that had been fed a diet with an imbalance of dietary essential fatty acids to pups that had been undernourished (through rearing in large litters). Some pregnant and lactating females were fed a diet with a very low (n-6):(n-3) ratio, in which the fatty acids were provided solely as linoleic acid and very high levels of docosahexaenoic acid. Wainwright et al. (1999) randomly established four groups of females : 2 groups were fed lab chow but varied in litter size (large vs. normal), and 2 groups were of normal litter size but varied in dietary ratio (low=0.32 vs. normal = 4.0). At 32 days post conception, offspring from both lab chow-fed large litters and low ratio normal litters had lower body weights and were behaviourally retarded. Wainwright et al.'s (1999) results show that growth retardation (offspring of dams fed a diet with low essential fatty acid ratio and very high levels of DHA) is accompanied by behavioural retardation similar to that seen in malnourished pups.