Omega-3s May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk

A physiological hallmark of Alzheimer’s Disease is the presence of beta-amyloid plaque deposits in the brain.  Nikolaos Scarmeas, from Columbia University (New York, USA), and colleagues studied 1,219 cognitively normal men and women, ages 65 and older, assessing for their dietary consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and tracking the subsequent incidences of onset of Alzheimer’s Disease. The researchers found that omega-3 fatty acid intake was significantly predictive of plasma levels of the 40- and 42-residue forms of beta-amyloid protein (AB40 and AB42, respectively).  The study authors conclude that:  “Our data suggest that higher dietary intake of [omega-3 fatty acids] is associated with lower plasma levels of A[B]42, a profile linked with reduced risk of incident [Alzheimer’s Disease] and slower cognitive decline.”