來自倫敦大學(xué)瑪麗皇后學(xué)院(Queen Mary-University of London)的研究表明，在魚油中發(fā)現(xiàn)的ω- 3脂肪酸具有保護(hù)神經(jīng)損傷與助于損傷神經(jīng)再生的潛能,。當(dāng)因?yàn)槭鹿驶騻Χ鴵p傷神經(jīng)時(shí),，患者會(huì)經(jīng)歷讓他們殘疾的疼痛,、虛弱與肌肉麻痹,，且損傷恢復(fù)率低,。
發(fā)表在期刊Journal of Neuroscience上的新研究表明，ω- 3脂肪酸在神經(jīng)損傷恢復(fù)速度方面起重要作用,。
此研究聚焦于外周神經(jīng)細(xì)胞,。外周神經(jīng)是在大腦、脊髓與機(jī)體其他部分之間傳遞信號(hào)的神經(jīng),。
這些神經(jīng)具有再生能力，盡管外科技術(shù)很先進(jìn),，但是病人通常只有在輕度損傷時(shí)才能恢復(fù)好,。
ω- 3脂肪酸對(duì)于機(jī)體正常生長(zhǎng)和發(fā)育極其重要，并因?yàn)樗麄?a href="http://hnhlg.com/news/list-54.html" target="_blank">健康方面的益處而被廣泛研究,。因?yàn)闄C(jī)體不能制造ω- 3脂肪酸,，所以不得不從食物如含油多的魚中攝取。
在此新研究中,，研究人員首次觀察了分離的老鼠神經(jīng)細(xì)胞,。他們模擬了由事故或傷害引起的損傷，要么通過拉伸細(xì)胞要么通過使其缺氧的方法,。兩種類型損傷都?xì)⑺懒舜罅可窠?jīng)細(xì)胞,，但是細(xì)胞內(nèi)ω- 3脂肪酸的富集明顯地保護(hù)了細(xì)胞，并減少細(xì)胞死亡,。
接下來,，研究人員研究了小鼠的坐骨神經(jīng),。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，高水平ω- 3脂肪酸有助于小鼠更快更完全地從從骨神經(jīng)損傷中恢復(fù),，在神經(jīng)損傷后更小可能地浪費(fèi)肌肉,。
研究由Adina Michael-Titus教授帶領(lǐng)的研究團(tuán)陰開展，Adina Michael-Titus是倫敦醫(yī)學(xué)院和巴茲神經(jīng)科學(xué)的教授,，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)倫敦大學(xué)瑪麗皇后學(xué)院創(chuàng)傷與神經(jīng)科學(xué)中心的神經(jīng)外傷與神經(jīng)變性研究小組,。
她解釋說："我們的先前研究已表明，這些脂肪酸在許多神經(jīng)學(xué)情況下具有益作用,。這項(xiàng)新研究表明,，它們?cè)谥委熗庵苌窠?jīng)損傷中也有作用。雖然我們的研究表明ω- 3脂肪酸能保護(hù)受損神經(jīng)細(xì)胞,，這是成功的神經(jīng)復(fù)原中關(guān)鍵的第一步,，還有更多的工作需要做。（生物谷bioon.com）
doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3371-11.2012
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Improved Outcome after Peripheral Nerve Injury in Mice with Increased Levels of Endogenous Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Stacy J. Gladman, Wenlong Huang, Siew-Na Lim, Simon C. Dyall, Sophie Boddy, Jing X. Kang, Martin M. Knight, John V. Priestley, and Adina T. Michael-Titus
Abstract Functional recovery after a peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is often poor. There is a need for therapies that protect neurons against injury and enhance regeneration. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to have therapeutic potential in a variety of neurological disorders, including acute traumatic injury. The objective of this study was to assess the neuroprotective and pro-regenerative potential of ω-3 PUFAs in PNI. We investigated this in mice that express the fat-1 gene encoding for ω-3 fatty acid desaturase, which leads to an increase in endogenous ω-3 PUFAs and a concomitant decrease in ω-6 PUFAs. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from wild-type or fat-1 mice were subjected to a mechanical strain or hypoxic injury, and cell death was assessed using ethidium homodimer-1 labeling. The fat-1 background appears to confer robust neuroprotection against both injuries. We then examined the early functional and morphological changes in wild-type and fat-1 mice after a sciatic nerve crush. An accelerated functional recovery 7 d after injury was seen in fat-1 mice when assessed using von Frey filaments and the sciatic nerve functional index. These observations were also mapped to changes in injury-related markers. The injury-induced expression of ATF-3 was decreased in the DRG of fat-1 mice, whereas the axons detected 6 mm distal to the crush were increased. Fat-1 animals also had some protection against muscle atrophy after injury. In conclusion, both in vitro and in vivo experiments support the idea that a higher endogenous ω-3 PUFA could lead to beneficial effects after a PNI.
