Astrocytes in the brain process different types of fatty acids in unique ways. They convert n-6 fatty acids into arachidonic acid, while n-3 fatty acids are turned into docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. When comparing the utilization of various fatty acids in rat astrocytes, it was found that n-3 fatty acids are more efficiently converted into longer chain fatty acids compared to n-6 fatty acids. This difference in processing leads to a higher accumulation of docosahexaenoic acid in the brain.