Eating cold-water fish and other sources
of omega-3 fatty acids may preserve brain health and enhance cognition in
middle age, new evidence indicates.
Having at least some omega-3s in red blood cells was
associated with better brain structure and cognitive function among healthy
study volunteers in their 40s and 50s, according to research published online
Oct. 5 in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of
Neurology. Faculty of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San
Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and other investigators of the Framingham Heart
Study conducted the analysis.
“Studies have looked at this association in older
populations. The new contribution here is that, even at younger ages, if you
have a diet that includes some omega-3 fatty acids, you are already protecting
your brain for most of the indicators of brain aging that we see at middle
age,” said Claudia
Satizabal, PhD, assistant professor
of population health sciences with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative
Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. Satizabal is the lead author of the study.
Volunteers’ average age was 46. The team
looked at the relation of red blood cell omega-3 fatty acid concentrations with
MRI and cognitive markers of brain aging. Researchers also studied the effect
of omega-3 red blood cell concentrations in volunteers who carried APOE4, a
genetic variation linked to higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study of 2,183 dementia- and
stroke-free participants found that:
·
Higher
omega-3 index was associated with larger hippocampal volumes. The hippocampus,
a structure in the brain, plays a major role in learning and memory.
·
Consuming
more omega-3s was associated with better abstract reasoning, or the ability to
understand complex concepts using logical thinking.
·
APOE4
carriers with a higher omega-3 index had less small-vessel disease. The APOE4
gene is associated with cardiovascular disease and vascular dementia.
Researchers used a technique called gas
chromatography to measure docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) concentrations from red blood cells. The omega-3 index was calculated as
DHA plus EPA.
“Omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA
are key micronutrients that enhance and protect the brain,” said study coauthor
Debora Melo van Lent, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow at the Biggs Institute.
“Our study is one of the first to observe this effect in a younger population.
More studies in this age group are needed.”
The team divided participants into those
who had very little omega-3 red blood cell concentration and those who had at
least a little and more. “We saw the worst outcomes in the people who had the
lowest consumption of omega-3s,” Satizabal said. “So, that is something
interesting. Although the more omega-3 the more benefits for the brain, you
just need to eat some to see benefits.”
Researchers don’t know how DHA and EPA
protect the brain. One theory is that, because those fatty acids are needed in
the membrane of neurons, when they are replaced with other types of fatty
acids, that’s when neurons (nerve cells) become unstable. Another explanation
may have to deal with the anti-inflammatory properties of DHA and EPA. “It’s
complex. We don’t understand everything yet, but we show that, somehow, if you
increase your consumption of omega-3s even by a little bit, you are protecting
your brain,” Satizabal said.
It’s encouraging that DHA and EPA also protected APOE4 carriers’ brain health. “It’s genetics, so you can’t change it,” Melo van Lent said, referring to the vulnerability of this risk group. “So, if there is a modifiable risk factor that can outweigh genetic predisposition, that’s a big gain.”
Source: https://news.uthscsa.edu/study-links-omega-3s-to-improved-brain-structure-cognition-at-midlife/
Journal article: https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2022/10/05/WNL.0000000000201296
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