Two New Findings About Omega-3 and Brain Health
A recent report from the Huntington Medical Research Institute in Southern California indicated that patients with Alzheimer’s Disease have lower levels of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA in their cerebrospinal fluid (the liquid that bathes the brain) compared to healthy subjects. This is consistent with the view that these important nutrients play a role in maintaining healthy cognitive function.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0100519
In another study, brain structure and mental function of individuals taking fish oil supplements was reported to be healthier than that of people not taking supplements. This was true, however, only in those subjects who did not carry the gene for apoE-4 (which constitutes about 70% of the US population). The study was from the Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center at Brown University in Providence, RI.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24954371