Toward assessing the role of dietary fatty acids in lamb’s neurological and cognitive development

Abstract

During the first two trimesters of gestation, neurological development progressively increases in foetal lambs. Through late foetal and early postnatal life, the lamb brain has a high level of cholesterol synthesis. This rate declines rapidly at weaning and remains low throughout adulthood. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the brain are ω-6 arachidonic acid and ω-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are elements of plasma membranes’ phospholipids in neuronal cells. DHA is essential for keeping membrane integrity and is vital for normal development of the central nervous system (CNS), and its insufficiency can damage cerebral functions and the development of cognitive capacities. In sheep, there is evidence that supplying PUFA during gestation or after birth may be beneficial to lamb performance and behavioural expressions. In this perspective, we outline basic concepts of nutrition, neurological and cognitive development, and its potential interplay in sheep, and provide a pathway for future research directions in this area.