A nti - oxidants , O mega -3 F atty A cids , and C ognitive D ecline with A ging Tanu Ashok Patel B S J Mental capabilities have become an increasingly valuable commodity, especially in recent years with the bursting of the dot-com bubble, the general economic downturn, and the advent of competition for jobs with rising countries such as China and India. The focus on increasing and retaining cognitive abilities such as memory and executive functions has risen over the past couple of years. In the year 2006 the release and popularity Figure 1. A list of the most common anti-oxidant ruch foods. Graphic by Tanu Ashok Patel of the book, IQ and Global Inequality by Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen captured precisely this fascination with cognitive abilities. For some, this interest has meant adopting the “tiger mom” tactics of Yale law professor Amy Chua (Chua, 2011), while for others, this has meant turning to less rigorous tactics, such as the consumption of herbal concoctions involving fish oils and anti-oxidants simply because they’ve heard of the benefits these foods have on cognition, an idea that has become urban lore of late. The popularity of supposedly mind-sharpening anti-oxidants and fish oils has only increased over the years, and the foods containing these ingredients continue to fly off the shelves of small herbal shops and big corporate stores alike. Children in homes across the US are encouraged to eat foods rich in these compounds. But is there a real correlation between these foods and mental capabilities? As we shall see, research has shown both sides of the coin. While the consumption of anti- oxidants has been commonly shown to increase cognitive abilities, there has also been research illustrating that consumption of anti-oxidants has a minimal effect on the aged brain. Similarly polar findings can easily be found for the prevention of cognitive decline and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Studies showing a positive correlation between cognitive impairment and oxidative stress have been replicated many times over and the correlation between the two is relatively trusted. The human brain is placed under as much oxidative stress as the rest of the body, but has been found to be more sensitive to damage from the free radicals that result from oxidative stress. (Butterfield et al., 2005) The body incurs oxidative stress simply by carrying out normal functions like breathing. Oxidation has the harmful effect of producing free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules that react readily with lipids, proteins, and DNA causing them to become radicals, and altering their natural 1 • B erkeley S cientific J ournal • S cience of F ood • V olume 16 • I ssue 1