01.01.07
Indication: Alzheimer’s disease
Source: Archives of Neurology, November 11, 2006;63(11):1527-1528.
Research: Researchers set out to study the association between dementia and DHA status among 899 men and women who were part of the Framingham Heart Study. There was an average age of 76 years among the subjects, who submitted blood samples and underwent neuropsychological testing, and were followed for an average of nine years. A subgroup of 488 participants also filled out a questionnaire assessing their diet, including information about fish consumption. It is important to note that none of the subjects had dementia at the beginning of the study, however, they were given mental examinations every two years to screen for its development.
Results: During the nine-year study period, 99 out of 899 participants developed dementia, including 71 with Alzheimer’s disease. After controlling for other known risk factors, including age and homocysteine levels, and dividing the study population into fourths based on DHA levels, researchers found that men and women in the quartile with the highest level of DHA had a 47% lower risk of developing dementia and a 39% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to the other three groups with lower DHA levels. Among the participants who completed the dietary questionnaire, those in the top quartile of blood DHA levels reported that they ate an average of .18 grams of DHA a day and an average of three fish servings a week. Participants in the other quartiles ate significantly less fish. Researchers believe it will be important for future studies to determine if combined dietary supplementation with DHA has the ability to decrease further mental deterioration in patients with established dementia.
Source: Archives of Neurology, November 11, 2006;63(11):1527-1528.
Research: Researchers set out to study the association between dementia and DHA status among 899 men and women who were part of the Framingham Heart Study. There was an average age of 76 years among the subjects, who submitted blood samples and underwent neuropsychological testing, and were followed for an average of nine years. A subgroup of 488 participants also filled out a questionnaire assessing their diet, including information about fish consumption. It is important to note that none of the subjects had dementia at the beginning of the study, however, they were given mental examinations every two years to screen for its development.
Results: During the nine-year study period, 99 out of 899 participants developed dementia, including 71 with Alzheimer’s disease. After controlling for other known risk factors, including age and homocysteine levels, and dividing the study population into fourths based on DHA levels, researchers found that men and women in the quartile with the highest level of DHA had a 47% lower risk of developing dementia and a 39% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to the other three groups with lower DHA levels. Among the participants who completed the dietary questionnaire, those in the top quartile of blood DHA levels reported that they ate an average of .18 grams of DHA a day and an average of three fish servings a week. Participants in the other quartiles ate significantly less fish. Researchers believe it will be important for future studies to determine if combined dietary supplementation with DHA has the ability to decrease further mental deterioration in patients with established dementia.