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Better Brain Health

Researchers have found a link between red blood cell Omega-3 concentration and brain shape as well as cognitive function. The work has been published in the Neurology journal.

Regarding omega-3s

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs, are fatty acids that have a number of double bonds throughout their chemical structure. Omega 3 and Omega-6, which are significant components of the phospholipid cell membrane, are the most well-known and widely studied PUFAS.

More and more research is demonstrating how taking Omega 3 PUFAs has a favourable impact on the brain. DHA is thought to be particularly important for

eye and brain development

affecting young adulthood and adolescence's mental health

Neurotransmitter release, cellular membrane functioning, and fluidity

Because of their high content of omega-3 PUFAS, fish, especially sardines, tuna, and salmon, have earned the nickname "brain food."

Omega 3 PUFAS benefits in populations of older people

The trials, which were mostly conducted on older people, are what give Omega-3 PUFAS their apparent positive effects.  

If blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to better neurological outcomes in midlife, researchers from the Faculty of The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and other Framingham Heart Study investigators wanted to investigate. The new study's lead author is Dr. Claudia Satizabal, an assistant professor of population health sciences at UT Health San Antonio's Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

MRI, cognitive ageing indicators, and Omega-3 concentrations measurements

A great source of Omega-3 fatty acids is fish. Diane Helentjaris on Unsplash is credited

A cross-sectional examination of omega-3 fatty acid contents in red blood cells with MRI scans and cognitive markers of brain ageing was performed by the researchers using information from 2,183 patients enrolled to the Third-Generation and Omni 2 cohorts of the Framingham Heart Study. Participants' average age was 46, and 53% of the cohort were women and 47% were men.

The Omega-3 index was calculated as EPA + DHA, according to the authors, who also note that "DHA and EPA concentrations from RBC were measured using gas chromatography." We used linear regression models to relate Omega-3 fatty acid concentrations to brain MRI measurements like total brain, total grey matter, hippocampal and white matter hyperintensities and cognitive function like episodic memory, processing speed, executive function, and abstract reasoning in order to take into account potential confounders.

The team also studied the effects of an Omega-3 concentration on individuals with APOE4, a genetic mutation linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Consuming some Omega-3 is preferable to consuming none at all.

The hippocampus region of the brain, which is crucial for memory and learning, was found to be correlated with a higher Omega-3 index. The statistical significance of this connection was high.

Additionally, consuming more Omega-3s was linked to improved abstract cognition, or the capacity to comprehend difficult ideas through logical reasoning. The worst results were observed in those who consumed the fewest omega-3 fatty acids, according to Satizabal.  

I find that to be interesting. You just need to eat a small amount of Omega-3 to experience benefits for your brain, despite the fact that more is better.

Additionally, those with the APOE4 mutation had a lower incidence of small-vessel disease.

According to study coauthor Dr. Debora Melo van Lent, PhD, postdoctoral research researcher at the Biggs Institute, "Omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, are critical micronutrients that enhance and protect the brain." One of the first studies to notice this effect in a younger population was ours. 

Due to the observational nature of the study design, the researchers recognise that their work is "exploratory" and that more research is needed to fully understand the biological mechanisms by which DHA and EPA appear to protect the brain. They do, however, provide one hypothesis as to why this link might have happened: the significance of DHA and EPA in neuronal membranes. Neurons appear to become unstable when these fatty acids are swapped out for different kinds of fatty acids. It's complicated. Even though we still don't fully grasp everything, our research demonstrates that preserving your brain even somewhat by consuming more Omega 3 fatty acids is beneficial, according to Satizabal.

Not: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio rewrote a press release into this article. Content and length have both been altered.

See Satizabal CL, Himali JJ, Beiser AS, et al. for further information. Neurology. 2022:10.1212/WNL.0000000000201296. Association of red blood cell Omega-3 fatty acids with MRI indicators and cognitive performance in midlife.