Omega-3 fatty acids help slow ageing of the brain

Omega-3 fatty acids help slow ageing of the brain

The status of omega-3 fatty acids as ‘brain food’ is well established. However, research now suggests a diet lacking in these fatty acids may cause brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities.

The finding has prompted a study author to recommend that physicians should remind patients to regularly consume fatty fish or other food sources of omega-3 as part of a balanced diet.

“[In the study] people with lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had lower brain volumes that were equivalent to about 2 years of structural brain aging,” said lead researcher Dr. Zaldy Tan of the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s disease research and the division of geriatrics at the University of California at Los Angeles, California, US.

A total of 1,575 people with an average age of 67 and free of dementia underwent MRI brain scans for the study. They were also given tests that measured mental function, body mass and omega-3 fatty acid (comprising docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) levels in their red blood cells. [Neurology 2012;78: 658-664].

Fatty acid composition of red blood cells (RBC) reflects dietary fatty acid intake averaged over the RBC lifespan of up to 120 days, whereas plasma concentrations reflect intake over only the last few days.

The researchers found that people whose DHA levels were among the bottom 25 percent of the participants had lower brain volume compared to people who had higher DHA levels. Similarly, participants with levels of all omega-3 fatty acids in the bottom 25 percent also scored lower on tests of visual memory and executive function, such as problem solving and multi-tasking and abstract thinking.

“Lower DHA levels are associated with smaller brain volumes and a ‘vascular’ pattern of cognitive impairment, even in persons free of clinical dementia,” concluded the researchers.

It may be premature for physicians to advise their patients to consume adequate amounts of food rich in omega-3 specifically for their brain health, without evidence from a large randomized control trial. But Tan said there is already ample evidence supporting the benefits of this fatty acid in cardiovascular and overall health and such an advice could only be beneficial.

article by Rajesh Kumar

source- Medical Tribune

Author: sarkarimirror