Omega-3 Levels: Involved in Cognitive Flexibility

In elderly individuals at late risk of Alzheimer’s disease, there is a positive association between omega-3 levels and the volume of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region involved in cognitive flexibility, that is, the ability to adapt to new situations.

This discovery was published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience by researchers from the University of Illinois (USA).

Omega-3 and Cognitive Functions

Omega-3 concentrations, as suggested by various studies, are linked to cognitive functions, that is, the set of operations that allow conscious activity; mechanisms enabling an individual to make decisions and select which processes to activate in order to carry out appropriate behaviors. Executive dysfunctions can represent either a phase of normal aging or an early stage of dementia. High omega-3 levels have been directly linked to improved cognitive flexibility, meaning a better ability to adapt to new situations by applying prior knowledge. Cognitive flexibility appears to be related to the volume of a specific brain area called the anterior cingulate cortex.

Anterior Cingulate Cortex: Mediator Between Omega-3 and Cognitive Flexibility

Dr. Zamroziewicz, who led the study, and his colleagues examined 95 adults with an average age of 69 years, without diagnoses of cognitive decline, dementia, stroke, cancer, or psychiatric disorders. For each subject, fasting fatty acid levels, executive function via specific tests, and brain volume were analyzed. Omega-3 blood levels ranged from 102 to 216 nmol/ml, indicating very low fish and omega-3 intake compared to average levels in American adults (289 to 321 nmol/ml). Analyses relating these parameters revealed that subjects with higher omega-3 levels scored better on tests of cognitive flexibility compared to peers, and had a larger anterior cingulate cortex region. These results suggest that this brain area may act as a mediator of the relationship between omega-3 and cognitive flexibility in cognitively healthy adults at risk of cognitive decline.

Nutritional Therapy to Counteract Aging

According to the researchers, a strength of this study is the use of blood biomarkers to measure nutritional status, providing a more reliable assessment of omega-3 intake than dietary frequency questionnaires. As hypothesized by the scientists, the link between executive functions, brain volume measures, and omega-3 levels suggests nutritional therapy as a strategy to prevent cognitive dysfunction during aging.

Source: Zamroziewicz MK, Paul EJ, Rubin RD, Barbey AK. Anterior cingulate cortex mediates the relationship between O3PUFAs and executive functions in APOE e4 carriers. 2015 Front Aging Neurosci doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2015.00087.