Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems

Posted on February 27, 2012 By Neuroscience News Neurology

A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients commonly found in fish, may cause your brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to a study published in the February 28, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Omega-3 fatty acids include the nutrients called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

“People with lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had lower brain volumes that were equivalent to about two years of structural brain aging,” said study author Zaldy S. Tan, MD, MPH, of the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and the Division of Geriatrics, University of California at Los Angeles.

For the study, 1,575 people with an average age of 67 and free of dementia underwent MRI brain scans. They were also given tests that measured mental function, body mass and the omega-3 fatty acid levels in their red blood cells.

The researchers found that people whose DHA levels were among the bottom 25 percent of the participants had lower brain volume compared to people who had higher DHA levels. Similarly, participants with levels of all omega-3 fatty acids in the bottom 25 percent also scored lower on tests of visual memory and executive function, such as problem solving and multi-tasking and abstract thinking.

Notes about this memory research article

The study was supported by the Framingham Heart Study’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute on Aging.

Contacts: Rachel Seroka & Angela Babb – American Academy of Neurology
Source: American Academy of Neurology press release
Original Research: “Red Blood Cell Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels And Markers Of Accelerated Brain Aging” by Tan, Z.S., MD, MPH, Harris, W.S., Beiser, A.S., Au, R., Himali, J.J., Debette, S., Pikula, A., DeCarli, C., Wolf, P.A., Vasan, R.S., Robins, S.J., Seshadri, S.. in Neurology Pages: 658-664

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19 Responses to Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems

  1. Aandachtswinkel April 23, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    Een tekort aan Omega3 vetzuren in de voeding kan mogelijk zorgen voor geheugenproblemen. http://t.co/18OpRyLA #algen #omega3

  2. Stacie Hixson March 9, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    CHEERS for Omega-3! Yet another study points to the connection between Omega-3/DHA and improved memory. http://t.co/BELXPqqc

  3. Opti3 Omega March 3, 2012 at 11:06 am

    Another study supports omega 3 fats for memory, shame they only think these fats come from fish! http://t.co/nYg2HhMX

  4. Maite Garolera February 28, 2012 at 9:57 pm

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems http://t.co/nP95YYa4

  5. James Smith February 28, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems #neuroscience http://t.co/exeS0JQN

  6. PsigoCiencia February 28, 2012 at 12:42 pm

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  7. Clarissa Del Moral February 28, 2012 at 9:50 am

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  8. Candy Gan February 28, 2012 at 9:32 am

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  9. JoT February 28, 2012 at 4:15 am

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  10. Maria Isabel Q. February 28, 2012 at 2:45 am

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  11. Cameron McAndrew February 28, 2012 at 2:43 am

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems #neuroscience http://t.co/exeS0JQN

  12. Matthew Seegobin February 28, 2012 at 2:07 am

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  13. LSU Spine Chair February 28, 2012 at 1:47 am

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  14. Vanessa C. Gasco February 28, 2012 at 1:24 am

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems http://t.co/eQHM5RVs vía @neurosciencenew

  15. Vanessa C. Gasco February 28, 2012 at 1:20 am

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems #neuroscience http://t.co/exeS0JQN

  16. Nancy Wigton February 28, 2012 at 1:08 am

    CHEERS for Omega-3! Yet another study points to the connection between Omega-3/DHA and improved memory. http://t.co/BELXPqqc

  17. SOLID February 28, 2012 at 12:52 am

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids= "little brain"? http://t.co/lotDZST9 via @neurosciencenew

  18. Angelina Khoo February 28, 2012 at 12:41 am

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems #neuroscience http://t.co/exeS0JQN

  19. Stephanie Spiro February 27, 2012 at 11:50 pm

    Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems: A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients co… http://t.co/9ptE2eG2

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