Omega-3 as protective agent in development of anxiety disorder induced by prenatal stress

• Grant number: 07/01004-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2007
• End date: August 31, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Tomanik Mercadante
• Grantee: Marcos Tomanik Mercadante
• Host Institution: Departamento de Psiquiatria. Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

A series of recent studies has demonstrated a narrow relationship between prenatal stress and the development of anxiety disorder. Prenatal stress (PS) has been related with alterations in HPA axis reactivity, neurotransmission and on adult offspring behavior, however, few studies had been addressed to evaluate if the action of the PS , during the brain development, could be reverted or minimized in postnatal life. Many studies pointed out the importance of omega-3 in the development and maintenance of the cerebral functions, and to the meaning of its deficiency in some psychopathology. Given to the fact of the neuroendocrine system, at least in rats, to continue to develop in postnatal life and the importance of omega-3 in the development and maintenance of the cerebral functions through its complex mechanisms of action, especially that involved in regulation of gene transcription, we consider relevant to verify if the early omega-3 supplementation can revert or minimize the impact of the PS in the cerebral functions of adult animals. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of the early omega-3 supplementation in development of anxiety disorder induced by prenatal stress. (AU)