Fish oil, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, is found in large quantities in the brain and appears to play an essential role in brain functions such as memory and behavior. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements have been considered a possible treatment for dysfunctional brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and attention deficit disorder. While some clinical trials have shown promise, no overall benefit to memory has been noted in clinical studies.
Definition
Fish oil contains two essential omega-3 fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid, DHA for short, and eicosapentaenoic acid, also called EPA. Essential means that your body can't manufacture them, so must get them from food. Some fish contain more omega-3 fatty acids than others; salmon, halibut, herring, mackerel and tuna all contain large amounts of DHA and EPA. Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, appear to aid with brain development starting in the fetus and remain necessary for cognitive development, including memory and normal development.
Omega-3 Deficiency
An omega-3 fatty acid deficiency can lead to memory loss, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A study conducted by the University of Guelph and reported in the December 2000 issue of "Lipids" found that people with low levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to have Alzheimer's disease or other types of cognitive disorders.
Dietary Fish Intake
A study conducted by researchers from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago followed 815 subjects, ages 65 to 94, who did not have Alzheimer's disease at the start of the study, for seven years. Subjects who ate fish once a week or more had a 60 percent less chance of developing Alzheimer's, according to the study, published in the July 2003 issue of "Archives of Neurology." Researchers from the Erasmus University Medical School reported on results from the Rotterdam study and published their results in the November 1997 issue of "Annals of Neurology." The study looked at the effects of different types of fat in the diet of 5,386 subjects. Researchers reported that an increase in fish intake and fatty acids correlated with a decrease in development of Alzheimer's disease.
Fish Oil Supplements
While a higher dietary intake of fish oil might decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, one large study, called the Older People And omega-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, or OPAL, study, did not find this to be true. Conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and reported in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," the study found that cognitive function did not improve after a two-year period in subjects taking fish oil supplements compared with those taking placebo, even though blood levels of EPA and DHA did rise in those taking the active drug.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acid; Steven Ehrlich, N.D.; June 2009
- Linus Pauling Institute; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; December 2005
- "Archives of Neurology;" Consumption of Fish and n-3 Fatty Acids and Risk of Incident Alzheimer Disease; M. Morris, et al.; July 2003
- "Annals of Neurology;"Dietary Fat Intake and the Risk of Incident Dementia in the Rotterdam Study; S.Kalmijn, et al.; November 1997
- "Lipids;" Fatty Acid Analysis of Blood Plasma of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease, Other Types of Dementia, and Cognitive Impairment; J. Conquer, et al.; December 2000
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition;" Effect of 2-y n'3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation on Cognitive Function in Older People; Alan Dangour, et al.; April 2010
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