The Effect of Fish Oil on Histomorphometric Changes of Cerebrum and Cerebellum Caused by Hypoxia during Pregnancy in Female Rats’ Offsprings: A Descriptive Study

Hypoxia during pregnancy impairs fetal brain development. Fish oil acts as a reducer of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in improving memory. This study aimed to determine the effect of fish oil on the histomorphometric changes of the offsprings’ cerebrum and cerebellum caused by the hypoxia model during pregnancy rats.

In this experimental study, 36 pregnant female Wistar rats were divided into six groups (n=6), including control, hypoxia, fish oil (1 mg/kg/day; orally), fish oil (0.5 mg/kg/day; orally), hypoxia + fish oil (1 mg/kg/day; orally), and hypoxia + fish oil (0.5 mg/kg/day; orally). The treatment period ranged from the sixth to the 15th day of pregnancy. On day 30 after birth, the rats were euthanized, and after removing the brain and measuring its weight, it was fixed in 10% formalin buffer. Histomorphometric changes of cerebrum and cerebellum were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s post hoc tests.

Hypoxia decreased the weight, volume, length, width, and thickness of the brain, and also increased the number of damaged neurons, the body size of Purkinje cells, and the percentage of damaged Purkinje cells (p<0.05).  And administration of fish oil to hypoxic rats improved the mentioned parameters (p<0.05).

According to the present study results, hypoxia during pregnancy can have destructive effects on offsprings’ brains, and administration of fish oil can to some extent prevent the detrimental effects of hypoxia on offsprings’ brains.