Dietary Supplementation With the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid in Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Dietary supplementation with DHA increases serum levels and, if given prior to traumatic brain injury, reduces the injury response, as measured by axonal injury counts, markers for cellular injury and apoptosis, and memory assessment by water maze testing. This uniform response was seen for the highest dosage group, 40 mg/kg given over 30 days prior to injury, but when measured by stereological counting methodology there was a positive response to anatomical injury across low to high doses of DHA. The potential for DHA to provide prophylactic benefit to the brain against traumatic injury appears promising and requires further investigation.