Effects of omega-3 fatty acids and sugar on attention in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids and sugar may potentially influence cognition. The effects of reduced omega-3 PUFA and high sugar intakes in rats on attentional functions were investigated. Two groups of rat dams and their offspring were fed either an omega-3 adequate or an omega-3 deficient diet, both with high sucrose/glucose content. A control group was fed an omega-3 adequate diet containing standard levels of sugar. The offspring were tested in a 3-choice-serial-reaction-time task. Compared to controls, statistically significant reductions in attention were found in both omega-3 adequate and omega-3 deficient diet groups, both of which were fed increased amounts of sugar. No significant differences were observed between the latter two groups. These findings demonstrate the detrimental effects of high sugar intake on attention with no exacerbation of these effects by omega-3 PUFA reduction. The interaction between dietary components should be taken into consideration when investigating the effects of nutritional modifications.