A study conducted by the Oregon Health and Science University has determined that fish oil can benefit cognitive health in older adults who are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s.
The effect was seen in those who had genes which put an individual at high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, with those who took fish oil supplements daily seeing a reduction in neurodegeneration.
APOE4 carriers could benefit from omega-3 supplementation
Researchers monitored the impact of omega-3 supplementation via fish oil on 102 participants aged 75 years or older during a three year period, while also comparing the presence of white matter lesions present on the brain.
These white matter lesions can cause a lack of nutrients to nearby brain regions, increasing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in later life.
Although there was a slight reduction in white matter lesions present in the brain of the study participants, this was not statistically significant.
However, there was a significant reduction in the neurodegeneration of those with the APOE4 gene, which is a common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s.
This finding highlights the benefits of omega-3 supplementation for those with the APOE4 gene, as it could potentially stave off the neurodegeneration often associated with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
“This is the first dementia prevention trial that has indicated who may be well-suited to receiving specific nutritional intervention,” said the Director of clinical trials and Instructor of neurology at the McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Gene Bowman. “The fact that neuronal integrity breakdown was slowed in people randomised to omega-3 treatment who are also at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease is remarkable, and warrants a larger clinical trial in more diverse populations in the future.”
