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Nutrition in brain
development and aging: role of essential fatty acids.
Researchers
writing in the the medical journal Nutrition Reviews say
that essential fatty acids (EFAs) are increasingly seen
to be of value in limiting the cognitive decline during
aging.
Uauy R, Dangour AD.
Nutrition in brain development and aging: role of
essential fatty acids. Nutr Rev. 2006 May;64(5 Pt
2):S24-33; discussion S72-91.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16770950
From the abstract: The essential fatty acids (EFAs),
particularly the n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty
acids (LCPs), are important for brain development during
both the fetal and postnatal period.
They are also increasingly seen to be of value in
limiting the cognitive decline during aging.
EFA deficiency was first shown over 75 years ago, but
the more subtle effects of the n-3 fatty acids in terms
of skin changes, a poor response to linoleic acid
supplementation, abnormal visual function, and
peripheral neuropathy were only discovered later. Both
n-3 and n-6 LCPs play important roles in neuronal
growth, development of synaptic processing of neural
cell interaction, and expression of genes regulating
cell differentiation and growth.
Aging is also associated with decreased brain levels of
DHA: fish consumption is associated with decreased risk
of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and the reported
daily use of fish-oil supplements has been linked to
improved cognitive function scores, but confirmation
of these effects is needed.
MORE ON THIS SUBJECT
Eating Fish Slows Aging of the Brain
Study Published in
the October 10, 2005 issue of the Archives of Neurology.
In brief, researchers looked
at people 65 years of age and over to see if
intakes of fish and omega-3 fatty acids protected
against "age-related cognitive decline."
What did they find? Quoted from the article in the
Archives of Neurology:
"Dietary intake of fish
was inversely associated with cognitive decline over 6 years
in this older, biracial community study.
The rate of decline was
reduced by 10% to 13% per year among persons who consumed 1
or more fish meals per week compared with those with less
than weekly consumption.
The rate reduction is
the equivalent of being 3 to 4 years younger in age.
There were no consistent
associations with the omega-3 fatty acids, although the effect
estimates were in the direction of slower decline."
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