The future use of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in the management or prevention of early AD

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Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for brain growth and development. They play an important role throughout life, as critical modulators of neuronal function and regulation of oxidative stress mechanisms, in brain health and disease. Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), the major omega-3 fatty acid found in neurons, has taken on a central role as a target for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A plethora of in vitro, animal model, and human data, gathered over the past decade, highlight the important role DHA may play in the development of a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including AD. Cross sectional and prospective cohort data have demonstrated that reduced dietary intake or low brain levels of DHA are associated with accelerated cognitive decline or the development of incipient dementia, including AD. Several clinical trials investigating the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in AD have been completed and all failed to demonstrate its efficacy in the treatment of AD. However, these trials produced intriguing data suggesting that the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may depend on the stage of disease, other dietary mediators, and apolipoprotein E status.
These data suggest three emerging themes and possible areas of future exploration: 1) dependence of the potential beneficial effects of omega-3 PUFA on cognitive status, with cognitively normal persons and those in the earliest stages of memory decline (MCI or early AD) showing the greatest benefit; 2) a modulatory effect of dietary n-6 intake that alters the n-3/n-6 ratio and may negate the positive benefits of n-3 supplementation irrespective of n-3 intake; and 3) a potential modulatory role of ApoE status that influences the dietary benefits of omega-3 PUFA on cognition. Incomplete assessment of these potential modulators/confounders across studies prevents firm conclusions from being drawn. Read more: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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