Abstract
In the present study, we tested whether elderly with a high dietary intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) would have higher cognitive test scores and greater brain volume than those with low dietary intake of these fatty acids. Data were obtained from the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) cohort. The dietary intake of EPA and DHA was determined by a 7-day food protocol in 252 cognitively healthy elderly (122 females) at the age of 70 years. At age 75, participants' global cognitive function was examined, and their brain volumes were measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Three different multivariate linear regression models were applied to test our hypothesis: model A (adjusted for gender and age), model B (additionally controlled for lifestyle factors, e.g., education), and model C (further controlled for cardiometabolic factors, e.g., systolic blood pressure). We found that the self-reported 7-day dietary intake of EPA and DHA at the age of 70 years was positively associated with global gray matter volume (P < 0.05, except for model C) and increased global cognitive performance score (P < 0.05). However, no significant associations were observed between the dietary intake of EPA and DHA and global white matter, total brain volume, and regional gray matter, respectively. Further, no effects were observed when examining cognitively impaired (n = 27) elderly as separate analyses. These cross-sectional findings suggest that dietary intake of EPA and DHA may be linked to improved cognitive health in late life but must be confirmed in patient studies.
Highlights
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), known as omega-3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are mainly found in fish and food of marine origin
Our results provide a potential link between consumption of diets rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA and enhanced mental health in the elderly
EPA and DHA are mainly found in fish and food of marine origin, which constitutes an important part of the Mediterranean diet (Sjogren et al 2010)
Summary
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), known as omega-3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are mainly found in fish and food of marine origin. Bearing in mind that EPA and DHA form major structural lipid components of neural membranes in the central nervous system (CNS) (Kawakita et al 2006), a low intake of these omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may contribute to cognitive aging in elderly Supporting this view, epidemiological data have demonstrated that reduced dietary intake of EPA and DHA is associated with accelerated cognitive decline or the development of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (Kalmijn et al 1997, 2004), (van Gelder et al 2007), (Samieri et al 2008), (Huang 2010), (Dangour et al 2010), (Cederholm and Palmblad 2010). A potential drawback of many studies that warrants attention is the inclusion of participants with heterogeneous age
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