Elsevier

Brain Research

Volume 50, Issue 2, 28 February 1973, Pages 341-351
Brain Research

The distribution of lipids in the human nervous system. III. Fatty acid composition of phosphoglycerides of human foetal and infant brain

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(73)90735-XGet rights and content

Abstract

The fatty acid compositions of choline (CPG), ethanolamine (EPG), serine (SPG) and inositol (IPG) phosphoglycerides were determined in the cerebrum of 11 foetuses, and in the cerebral cortex and the white matter of frontal lobe of 21 infants.

The phosphogylcerides were separated by thin-layer chromatography and their fatty acid compositions determined by gas-liquid chromatography.

In cerebral cortex, the largest changes occurred during prenatal development The concentration of 16:0 and 16:1 diminished in all the 4 phosphoglycerides, while 18:0 increased and 18:1 diminished or remained constant. The fatty acids of the linoleic acid series showed an increase in chain length and desaturation with maturation. 22:6 (n-3) increased during the whole period, while the concentration of the other fatty acids of the linolenic acid series was too small to permit accurate determination. After term, the changes were confined to the polyenoic acids. In all the phosphoglycerides the concentration of the fatty acids of the linoleic acid series showed a slight maximum between the 4th and 12th postnatal months.

In the white matter, there was a very strong increase of monoenes, particularly of 18:1, but also of 20:1 in EPG, with a concomitant diminution of saturated fatty acids in CPG, EPG and IPG. In SPG, the saturated fatty acids remained constant, but the polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly of the linolenic acid series, diminished drastically. The fatty acids of the linolenic acid series also diminished in the other 3 phosphoglycerides, while the fatty acids of the linoleic acid series showed a maximal plateau between the 6th and 18th postnatal months.

The most striking feature was the very small individual differences of the fatty acids patterns brains of the same age.

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