Omega‐3 Dietary Fatty Acids Improve Spatial Learning and Memory But Do Not Alter the Escalation of Alcohol Drinking

• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.679.5
• Publication Date: 2023-11-26T16:34:18Z
• Authors: Lauri O Byerley; Jonathan E. Reppel; Amanda R. Pahng; Scott R. Edwards
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 3. Good health

The transition from recreational alcohol use to alcoholism is associated with an escalation of alcohol drinking as well as cognitive deficits. This process may be mediated via specific brain regions associated with both learning and reward. Dietary omega‐3 fatty acids incorporate into the cell membrane and are important signaling mediators that may potentially alter memory mechanisms and/or escalation of drinking. Male Wistar rats (approximately 300 g) were divided into two groups and fed a diet with an omega‐6:omega‐3 ratio of 19.6:1 (fat source of corn oil) or 4.3:1 (fat source of walnuts & corn oil) for 8.5 weeks. Then, for seven weeks, in three intermittent 24‐hour sessions per week, a 20% ethanol solution was added to the home cage along with water in a two‐bottle choice procedure. Alcohol intake escalated at a rate of 0.4–0.5 g/day or 3.5 kcal/day. The omega‐3‐rich diet did not alter alcohol intake escalation (Total alcohol consumed: Corn Oil Group: 46.5 ± 0.7 g/kg; Walnut Group: 42.0 ± 0.7 g/kg). For both groups, total caloric intake was significantly higher on the days alcohol (A) was consumed than on the days alcohol was not consumed (NA) (Corn Oil: NA 86.5 ± 5.4, A 118.5 ± 23.3 kcal/day; Walnut: NA 79.2 ± 8.4, A 106.5 ± 16.8 kcal/day). On drinking days, alcohol was approximately 39 ± 10% of the total calories consumed. The animals significantly reduced their food intake (15 ± 7%) to compensate for the additional alcohol calories, but the reduction was not adequate to balance the increase in alcohol calories consumed. On the days off (no alcohol consumed), the animals did not eat more food to compensate for the dietary calories lost on the days they consumed alcohol. While the omega‐3‐rich diet did not affect alcohol intake, it did significantly improve spatial learning and memory (69.6% vs. 60.5% spontaneous alternation in the Y‐maze in Walnut vs. Corn Oil Groups, respectively) but not anxiety‐like behavior or locomotor activity. We are currently investigating the differential ability of the two diets to alter brain regional lipid and intracellular signaling profiles. In conclusion, a diet higher in omega‐3 fatty acids improved memory function but did not affect alcohol drinking.