Folic acid supplementation for 3 years significantly improved domains of cognitive function that tend to decline with age.

Folic acid supplementation slowed the decline in hearing of the speech frequencies associated with aging in a population from a country without folic acid fortification of food. The effect requires confirmation, especially in populations from countries with folic acid fortification programs. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00110604.

Background: Very-long-chain nҀ3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (nҀ3 PUFAs) are suggested to be related to cognitive performance in older adults. However, limited data exist on the association between nҀ3 PUFAs and performance in specific cognitive domains. Objective: We evaluated the association between plasma nҀ3 PUFA proportions and cognitive performance in 5 cognitive domains and determined whether plasma nҀ3 PUFA proportions predict cognitive change over 3 y. Design: We used data from the FACIT trial, in which participants received folic acid or placebo capsules for 3 y. Fatty acid proportions in plasma cholesteryl esters at baseline were measured in 807 men and women aged 50 -70 y. Cognitive performance for memory, sensorimotor speed, complex speed, information-processing speed, and word fluency was assessed at baseline and after 3 y. The crosssectional analyses were based on all 807 participants; the longitudinal analyses were based only on 404 participants in the placebo group. Results: Higher plasma nҀ3 PUFA proportions predicted less decline in sensorimotor speed (multiple linear regression coefficient, z score ҃ 0.31; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.57) and complex speed (0.40; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.70) over 3 y. Plasma nҀ3 PUFA proportions did not predict 3-y changes in memory, information-processing speed, or word fluency. The cross-sectional analyses showed no association between plasma nҀ3 PUFA proportions and performance in any of the 5 cognitive domains. Conclusions: In this population, plasma nҀ3 PUFA proportions were associated with less decline in the speed-related cognitive domains over 3 y. These results need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials.Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:1479 -85. KEY WORDSCognitive performance, nҀ3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, nҀ3 fatty acids, cognitive decline, older adults

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