Omega-3 DHA reduces brain atrophy

[NHE]

Higher blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid are associated with reduced hippocampal atrophy, improved memory and lower amyloid beta.

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/article ... your-brain

People with Higher Levels of Omega-3 Fats Perform Better on Tests:

Investigators at the University of Texas measured blood levels of fat from fish (omega-3 fatty acids) in the blood of more than 2,000 volunteers (Neurology, Oct. 5, 2022). The middle-aged participants took tests to determine their cognitive capacity. As volunteers for the Framingham Heart Study, they also submitted to brain scans that measured brain volume.

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are abundant in cold-water fish such as anchovies, sardines, salmon, trout and tuna. People with higher levels of omega-3 fats in their blood performed better on cognitive tests and had larger hippocampal regions. This area of the brain is associated with memory.

What Is the Relationship Between Fat from Fish and Brain Health?

The researchers recruited volunteers from the Aging Brain Study and analyzed their serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid, abbreviated DHA (JAMA Neurology, October 2016). Like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), this is a fat from fish.

The 61 study participants also underwent brain imaging to detect amyloid plaques, linked to Alzheimer disease. People with higher blood levels of DHA had lower amounts of amyloid plaque in their brains.

In addition, those with higher DHA levels had better scores on a test of nonverbal memory. Areas of their brains usually damaged by Alzheimer were larger and presumably healthier. Alzheimer disease is frequently associated with brain shrinkage.

Fat from Fish May Protect Brains from Degeneration:

Another recent study considered how often older people in coastal Ecuador consumed oily fish (European Stroke Journal, Sep. 2022). Participants in the Atahualpa Project Cohort, all at least 60 years old, agreed to MRI imaging of their brains. They also answered detailed questionnaires about their diets, with particular emphasis on fish rich in omega-3 fats. After more than six years, those who ate the most fat from fish had the least MRI evidence of damaged white matter in their brains.