Oily Fish Intake and Cognitive Performance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Atahualpa Project

Abstract

Due to their high content of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, oily fish consumption is likely associated with a better cognitive performance. However, information on this association is controversial, with some studies showing a positive effect while others showing no association. We aimed to assess the effects of oily fish consumption on cognitive performance in a population of frequent fish consumers living in rural coastal Ecuador. Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years were identified during a door-to-door survey and evaluated by the use of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Oily fish servings per week were calculated in all participants. We estimated whether fish intake correlated with MoCA scores in generalized multivariate linear models adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, edentulism and symptoms of depression. Out of 330 eligible persons, 307 (93%) were enrolled. Mean MoCA scores were 19 ± 4.8 points, and mean oily fish consumption was 8.6 ± 5.3 servings per week. In multivariate analyses, MoCA scores were related to fish servings (β 0.097, 95% CI 0.005-0.188, p = 0.038). Locally weighted scatterplot smoothing showed an inflection point in the total MoCA score curve at four fish servings per week. However, predictive margins of the MoCA score were similar across groups below and above this point, suggesting a direct linear relationship between oily fish intake and cognitive performance. Simple preventive measures, such as modifying dietary habits might be of value to reduce the rate of cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults living in underserved populations.

Association between cognitive function and supplementation with omega-3 PUFAs and other nutrients in ≥ 75 years old patients: A randomized multicenter study

“…Previous studies provided evidence that individuals with established AD do not get any benefit from this type of intervention [ 53 – 54 ] and yet individuals with MCI or AD in incipient stage could benefit from n-3 PUFA supplements [ 9 , 54 – 56 ]. On the other hand, the improvements detected are coherent with previous studies [ 3 , 9 , 57 – 62 ]. Therefore, the evidence still uncertain, especially, when the majority of the intervention studies were conducted on relative small samples.…”

Docosahexaenoic Acid and Cognition throughout the Lifespan

“…This study detected a positive correlation between at least one serving of fish per week and slower declines in global cognitive function, composite and verbal memory scores. Finally, most recently del Brutto et al [ 200 ] reported on a cohort from a rural middle-to-low income area of Ecuador that cognitive function as measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores was positively related to the number of fish servings per week, and the data suggested an intake of at least four fish servings per week was best.…”

The Role of Lipid Biomarkers in Major Depression

“…The idea that low omega-3 PUFAs levels is linked to depression is supported by the observation that lower rates of depression are found in countries which have a higher fish consumption, a major source of dietary omega-3 PUFAs [100,101]. Furthermore, a wealth of studies has found an inverse relationship between consumption of fish and incidence of depression in various populations [102,103,104,105,106,107]. …”