Study gives new insight into similarity of complex brain
networks in monkeys, humans
Monkeys that ate a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids had
brains with highly connected and well organized neural networks — in some ways
akin to the neural networks in healthy humans — while monkeys that ate a diet
deficient in the fatty acids had much more limited brain networking, according
to an Oregon Health & Science University study.
The study, published today in the Journal of Neuroscience,
provides further evidence for the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in healthy
brain development. It also represents the first time scientists have been able
to use functional brain imaging in live animals to see the large-scale
interaction of multiple brain networks in a monkey. These patterns are
remarkably similar to the networks found in humans using the same imaging
techniques.