Omega-3s protect against brain injury and preserve nerve fibers
Fish oil protects nerve fibers and helps against brain injury
Omega-3s in high concentrations have a protective effect on the brains of the elderly. High levels of DHA (docosahexanoic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) appear to reduce the risk of silent strokes, small lesions caused by lack of blood flow, and confer greater stability to the nerve fibers that make up the white matter. This was discovered by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, Finland, in a study published in the Journal of The American Hearth Association, and carried out to investigate the association between Omega-3 in the form of phospholipids and brain abnormalities.
Omega 3s make up the membranes of neurons
Omega-3s are part of the components of the membranes of neurons, where they perform a structural function and also ensure their proper functioning. DHA is one of the most widely represented molecules in the central nervous system. It plays an important role in brain and retinal tissue development, in the fetus. Numerous studies have also shown that a diet rich in Omega-3 in adults and the elderly facilitates the maintenance of memory and cognitive function, is and associated with a lower risk of stroke. Ischemic stroke results from a reduction in blood flow, which can be caused by a narrowing or closure of an artery that carries blood to the brain. "Silent stroke," or "silent cerebral infarction," is a small brain injury likely caused by a clot that interrupts blood flow. It is often asymptomatic and affects about 20 percent of healthy adults.
More Omega-3s for a healthier brain
Scientists led by Jyrki Virtanen evaluated data from 3,600 subjects aged 65 and older who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain between 1992 and 1994. Of this group, 2,313 subjects repeated the examination after five years. Those with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack, or those whose data on acid fats were incomplete were excluded from the current study. Plasma samples, collected between 1992 and 1993, were analyzed to identify levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in phospholipid form. By dividing the subjects into groups, based on plasma Omega-3 concentrations, the researchers showed that the elderly with the highest EPA, DHA and DPA levels had a 40 percent lower chance of a silent heart attack, compared with those in the group with the lowest concentrations.The subjects with the highest Omega-3 levels also showed less impairment of white matter, the brain region composed of the axons of neurons, compared with the group with lower Omega-3s.
The importance of a diet rich in Omega-3s
The results of this study suggest that in the elderly, a 'high content of Omega-3 in phospholipid form is associated with a lower prevalence of silent cerebral infarctions and better quality of white matter, as shown by magnetic resonance imaging Evidence of this kind confirms the beneficial effects of consuming fish, the main source of Omega-3, on brain health in old age.
Source: Jyrki K. Virtanen, David S. Siscovick, Rozenn N. Lemaitre, William T. Longstreth, Donna Spiegelman, Eric B. Rimm, Irena B. King, Dariush Mozaffarian. "Circulating Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Subclinical Brain Abnormalities on MRI in Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study," J. Am Heart Ass. 2013. October 10, 2013, doi: 10.1161/JAHA.113.000305.
