(Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation) A diet rich in
the heart-healthy fats found in fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna
may be good for the brain, new research reveals. The studies were
conducted in mice, a far cry from people, but the findings add to a
growing body of evidence that a fish-rich diet may help keep the
brain young as we age.
Working with older mice that had been specially bred to develop a
brain ailment that resembles Alzheimer's in people, doctors at the
Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of California at
Los Angeles (UCLA) fed mice a diet rich in DHA, a "good" form of fat
called an "omega-3." Increasingly, nutrition experts believe that
omega-3s like DHA are key to the health of the heart and blood
vessels, including those that nourish the brain.
The researchers fed one group of the mice food that had been
fortified with DHA. Another group of mice ate a normal or DHA-depleted
diet. After three to five months -- the equivalent of several years
in human life -- the high-DHA group had 70 percent less buildup of
amyloid
in the brain. This sticky protein makes up the plaques, or patches,
that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's. Results appeared in the March 23
edition of the Journal of Neuroscience.
"The good news from this study is that we can buy the therapy at a
supermarket or drug store," said study leader Greg M. Cole, Ph.D. "DHA
has a tremendous safety profile -- essentially no side effects --
and clinical trial evidence supports giving DHA supplements to
people at risk for cardiovascular disease."
Oily, coldwater fish, like salmon, halibut, mackerel, sardines, and
herring, are particularly rich in DHA and other omega-3s. DHA/omega-3
dietary supplements are also widely available in pharmacies and
health-food stores. Other foods high in these "good" fats include
almonds, walnuts and many other types of nuts, as well as canola,
walnut, soybean and flaxseed oils. Because many of these foods are a
rich source of calories, they are best eaten in place of, rather
than in addition to, other foods.
Growing
Body of Evidence
A
similar study by Cole's group published in the scientific journal
Neuron
last fall showed that DHA protected against damage to the "synaptic"
areas where brain cells communicate and enabled mice to perform
better on memory tests. For more on that study, see the alzinfo.org
story,
"Fish Rich Diet May Aid the Brain".
Nutritionists say that many Americans do not get enough omega-3s in
their daily diets. In addition, scientists have discovered that the
brains of persons with Alzheimer's disease tend to be low in DHA.
Population studies also show that people who eat a lot of fish rich
in heart-healthy oils also tend to have a lower likelihood of
developing Alzheimer's disease.
Supplements containing the fish oils are now being tested in
clinical trials in people in the early stages of Alzheimer's to see
if they really help slow the disease. Results will likely not be
available for several years. In the meantime, it may be a good idea
to "eat your fish," just as your grandmother advised.
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