The grey matter of the brain contains high levels of the essential nutrient DHA. Although the role of DHA in the developing brain and in dementia has attracted attention, its influence on the brain of the healthy adult has been little considered. A total of 285 young adult females took 400 mg of DHA, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, for 50 d. After 50 d, recently acquired information was more likely to be forgotten by those who had consumed DHA. No significant differences in mood, reaction times, vigilance or visual acuity were found.Key words: DHA: Memory: Mood: Vigilance About 50 -60 % of the dry weight of the brain is lipid, of which 35 % consists of PUFA (1) . In fact, the nature of the dietary intake of PUFA has neurophysiological consequences, as the nature of the diet influences the composition of cell membranes and thus the functioning of the brain (2) . A review suggested that the consumption of n-3 PUFA might beneficially affect neuronal composition, neurotransmission and cognitive functioning. Neurotransmission is influenced by two mechanisms: by changing membrane fluidity and by increasing the release of neurotransmitters (3) . Epidemiological and developmental research has suggested the role of n-3 PUFA in the regulation of monoamine-mediated systems, cognition and affect: for example, n-3 PUFA have been implicated in depressive disorders, suicide, aggression and impulsivity (4,5) . Although low levels of DHA have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including dementia (6 -8) , the literature is limited and inconsistent. A prospective study (9) measured the plasma fatty acid levels in older adults, but over a 3-year period they were not associated with changes in cognition.A cross-sectional longitudinal study (10) examined the relationship between fish/n-3 consumption and cognitive performance and after a 6-year follow-up found no association. However, a 13-year prospective study of 3294 adults found that selfreported cognitive difficulties were less frequent in those with a higher consumption of n-3 PUFA, even after adjustment for depressive symptoms. The authors concluded that cognitive complaints were less frequent among the elderly who had a high intake of n-3 PUFA 13 years earlier (11) . Although some observational studies have found that a better n-3 PUFA status was beneficial, it is important that a 2-year double-blind, randomised, controlled trial did not (12) . Healthy older adults (aged 70 -79 years) took, each day, 200 mg EPA plus 500 mg DHA, or olive oil, but there was no significant difference in cognitive performance. The authors concluded that the relatively short length of the intervention period might have masked the potential beneficial effect of fish oil.When considering the rate of cognitive decline, the timescale of supplementation may be critical. Benton (13) noted that age-related changes in brain structure begin to occur up to 60 years before they become overtly apparent as cognitive problems. The time-scale of studies of older adults may have ...
Objective: This study examined the association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptom severity and academic outcomes and classroom functioning in a community-based sample of children with and without ADHD. Method: Participants included children with ADHD ( n =179) and a non-ADHD group ( n =212). ASD symptom severity, academic and learning skills, and classroom functioning were assessed via teacher report using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS; ASD and Academic Competence subscales) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; all subscales). Results: Children with ADHD had higher teacher-reported ASD symptoms than children without ADHD (β= .62, p< .001). Greater teacher-reported ASD symptoms were associated with more behavioral difficulties in the classroom for children with ADHD (β= .50, p< .001). There was little evidence of an association between academic competence and ASD symptom severity in children with ADHD (β= −.11, p = .15). Conclusion: ASD symptoms are associated with elevated classroom behavioral difficulties for children with ADHD.
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