<![CDATA[Background: Malnutrition in early life can disrupt central nervous system development, including myelination and cognitive function. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, plays an important role in neuronal membrane integrity, neural development, and cognitive function. This study aimed to analyze the effects of different DHA doses on cerebral myelin profiles and spatial memory in malnourished Wistar rats. Methods: This true experimental study involved 30 Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) randomly allocated into five groups (n=6): normal control (K−), malnourished control (K+), and malnourished groups receiving DHA at 10.8 mg/day (P1), 16.2 mg/day (P2), or 27 mg/day (P3) for 12 days. Spatialmemory was assessed using the Y-maze test, and cerebral myelin profiles were examined using immunohistochemistry. Data were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA followed by appropriate post hoc tests. Result: Body weight increased in all groups. Cerebral myelin profiles differed significantly between groups (p=0.037; ηp²=0.325), with a trend toward higher profiles at higher DHA doses. Spatial memory also differed significantly (p=0.001; ηp²=0.499). Games–Howell analysis showed lower spatial memory in malnourished controls than in normal controls (p=0.002), P2 (p=0.024), and P3 (p<0.001), whereas P1 did not differ significantly from malnourished controls. Conclusion: DHA supplementation affected cerebral myelin profiles and spatial memory in malnourished Wistar rats, with more consistent spatial memory effects at 16.2 and 27 mg/day.]]>
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