EFEITO NEUROPROTETOR DA SUPLEMENTAÇÃO COM ÁCIDOS GRAXOS ÔMEGA-3 NAS ALTERAÇÕES NÃO-MOTORAS DA DOENÇA DE PARKINSON INDUZIDA PELA 6-OHDA EM RATOS

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, degenerative and progressive disorder caused by the loss of the dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) on the midbrain. Accompanying or predating motor signals, sensorial, autonomic and neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and dementia, are observed, being called non-motor symptoms of PD. As the current treatment for PD remains symptomatic and palliative, there is a need for neuroprotective therapies capable of slowing neuronal degeneration in the early stages. Among these substances omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3) are found, food components with structural, metabolic and functional roles whose importance has been demonstrated for the proper functioning of the nervous system, neurodevelopment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, including PD. Despite this, due to last decades changes in the eating behavior, the ingestion of foods rich in ω-3 has been reducing significantly. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possible neuroprotective effects of subchronic ω-3 supplementation on depressive-like, anxiety-like and memory deficit of 6-OHDA-injured adult rats and if this neuroprotective effect is related to the improvement of the neuronal antioxidant capacity by glutathione levels (GSH). For the experiments, 49 male Wistar rats weighing between 280 and 320 g were divided into 4 groups: SHAM/saline (n=12), SHAM/OP (n=12), 6-OHDA/saline (n=14), 6-OHDA/OP (n=11). In the OP groups, fish oil containing ω-3 fatty acids (50% DHA and 20% EPA) was administered via gavage during the 21-day period (2 g/kg/day), 14 days before and 7 days after the injury. The animals were submitted to stereotaxic surgery to infuse neurotoxin 6-OHDA or saline (SHAM groups) into the SNpc. After the three-week interval, the behavioral tests were performed: open field, elevated plus maze, object recognition task, sucrose preference and forced swimming. At the end of the tests, the animals were sacrificed, and samples of cerebral cortex, striatum and midbrain were removed for biochemical and histological analysis. Biochemical analysis of the concentration of GSH in the frontal cortex and striatum was performed. It was verified that the bilateral lesion generated by 6-OHDA in SNpc was able to induce a depressive-like behavior, which was attenuated in the animals supplemented with ω-3. Similarly, the lesion caused recognition memory deficit, which was less intense in those supplemented with ω-3. There was no change in GSH levels after the lesion, and it was not possible to establish a relationship between the levels of this enzyme and neuroprotection. Therefore, it can be deduced that the supplementation with ω-3 fatty acids present in the fish oil demonstrated a possible neuroprotective response in this animal model of PD.