Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency effects

Neuringer, M., Connor, W. E., Lin, D. S., Barstad, L., and Luck, S. (1986). Biochemical and functional effects of prenatal and postnatal omega-3 fatty acid deficiency on retina and brain in rhesus monkeys. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83, 4021-4025. 

An observational study with the blind observers found that rhesus monkeys whose diet was deficient in omega-3 fatty acid initiated more bouts of stereotyped behavior in their cages than monkeys who had received a control diet abundant in omega-3 fatty acids. These stereotyped behaviors associated with the omega-3 fatty acid deficiency were typical of rhesus monkeys raised as partial social isolates or those whose surroundings had been disrupted. The control monkeys had much less stereotypical behavior. It was noted also that stereotypic behavior decreased after meals in males, but not in females. Again, these seemed to be related to central effects on the behavior of n-3-deficient monkeys (Connor et al., 1969). 

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