There is a clear link between EFAs and brain health—among other organs of the body—but how does the brain acquire EFAs for use in our bodies?

Researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at UCLA and the National Institutes of Health may have discovered this unique link. Using a zebrafish model, the researchers discovered new insight into how the brain acquires EFAs.

Essential for good health, EFAs cannot be found in the human body, but only in the foods we eat—especially in nuts, seeds, and fish. Deficiencies in fatty acids have led to issues with learning and memory. DHA levels in particular, are key to brain function and are essential for a healthy nervous system.

The zebrafish model shows how fatty acids move across cell membranes, but researchers wanted to dive deeper. So, the team studied other components which are believed to help fatty acids move through the brain’s complicated system effortlessly.

Now, researchers are looking at how this information can be used to optimize drug delivery via the same route. Might there also be possibilities for natural health supplement studies in this arena?

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