Omega-3 levels: involved in cognitive flexibility

In the elderly at late risk for Alzheimer's disease, there is a positive association between omega-3 levels and the volume of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, a region of the brain involved in the mechanisms of cognitive flexibility-that is, the ability to adapt to new situations.

This is the finding published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience by researchers at the University of Illinois (USA).

Omega-3 and cognitive function

Omega-3 concentrations, as suggested by several researches, are related to cognitive functions, i.e., the 'set of operations that allow one to perform an activity consciously; mechanisms that enable the individual to make decisions, to select which processes to activate in order to enact correct behaviors. Executive dysfunction may represent a stage in the normal aging process or an early stage of dementia. High omega-3 levels have been directly linked to improved cognitive flexibility, that is, a better ability to adapt to new situations by applying one's knowledge. Cognitive flexibility appears to be related to the volume of a specific area of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex.

Anterior cingulate cortexanterior lata: mediator between omega-3 and cognitive flexibility

Dr. Zamroziewicz, who directed the study, and his colleagues looked at 95 adults, with an average age of 69, with no diagnosis of cognitive impairment, dementia, stroke, cancer, or psychiatric disease. Fasting fatty acid levels, executive function, using specific tests, and brain volume were analyzed of each subject. Levels of omega-3 in the blood ranged from 102 to 216 nmol/ml, showing that the subjects studied consumed very low amounts of fish, and other sources of omega-3, considering that average concentrations in adult Americans range from 289 to 321 nmol/ml. Analyses that related the various parameters, revealed that subjects with the highest levels of omega-3 had better scores on tests assessing cognitive flexibility, compared to their peers, and had the largest anterior cingulate cortex region. These findings suggest that the aforementioned brain area may act as a mediator of the relationship between omega-3 and cognitive flexibility in adults who are cognitively healthy but thought to be at risk for cognitive decline.

Nutritional therapy to counter aging

According to the researchers, the strength of this study is the use of blood biomarkers to measure nutritional status, which provides a more reliable assessment of omega-3 intake than food frequency questionnaires. As hypothesized by the scientists, the link between executive function, brain volume measures and omega-3 levels suggests nutritional therapy as a strategy to avoid cognitive dysfunction during aging. 

Source: Zamroziewicz MK, Paul EJ, Rubin RD, Barbey AK. Anterior cingulate cortex mediates the relationship between O3PUFAs and executive functions in APOE e4 carriers. 2015 Front Aging Neurosci doi: 10.3889/10.3389/fnagi.2015.00087.