Effect of docosahexaenoic acid on body mass index, memory deficits and neurodegeneration in young rats exposed to acute social isolation and high-fat diet

The role of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in attenuating changes in body mass index (BMI), memory deficits, and neurodegeneration was studied in a rat model. Postnatal day 21 (n = 6 rats/group), male Sprague–Dawley rats were grouped as normal control (NC), social isolation (SI), high-fat diet (HFD), social isolation with DHA (SI + DHA), and high-fat diet with DHA (HFD + DHA). After an intervention period of 45 days, the T-maze test was performed. BMI, body weight changes, and histological analysis of the hippocampal CA3 subregion were performed. Body weight and BMI were higher in the SI group than in NC and SI + DHA groups, and lower in HFD + DHA group than in HFD group. The time taken to enter the goal arm was greater in SI and HFD groups than in SI + DHA and HFD + DHA groups. The percentage of correct goal arms chosen in SI group was higher than that in SI + DHA group and lower in HFD group than in HFD + DHA group. Degenerated neural cells increased in SI as compared to NC and decreased in SI + DHA and HFD + DHA compared to SI and HFD groups, respectively. Acute social isolation and a high-fat diet impact BMI, behavior, and neural cells, and these changes were improved with DHA supplementation.