Potential Benefits of Omega-3 PUFAs in Slowing Brain Aging for APOE*E4 Carriers

A recently published randomized clinical trial sought to explore the impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on age-related deterioration of brain white matter and neuronal integrity in older adults. Conducted at the Oregon Health & Science University, the study investigated the potential for omega-3 treatment to slow the accumulation of white matter lesions (WMLs) and breakdown of neuronal integrity, both of which are thought to contribute to cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

The study's main outcomes were measured through annual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with a particular focus on diffusion tensor imaging of fractional anisotropy (DTI-FA), which indicates the structural integrity of neuronal fibers.

A total of 102 participants, with an average age of 81, were enrolled in the quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Participants without dementia but with more than 5 cm3 of WMLs and below-optimal omega-3 levels were assigned to receive either 1.65 grams of omega-3 PUFAs or a matching placebo daily for three years.

One of the interesting findings of the study is that individuals carrying the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE*E4), a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's, who received omega-3 treatment exhibited significant reductions in the rate of neuronal integrity breakdown over the 3-year period. This suggests that omega-3 treatment may be beneficial for this specific group, although it did not show a significant effect on the whole participant cohort in terms of reducing WML progression and overall neuronal integrity breakdown.

Despite the lack of significant findings in the full study population, the trial indicates that omega-3 PUFAs could potentially offer a safe, well-tolerated, and cost-effective approach to dementia prevention, especially for APOE*E4 carriers. The research highlights the importance of targeting interventions and considering genetic factors when studying age-related cognitive decline.

For those interested in a deeper dive into the research, the full study has been published and is open access under the terms of the CC-BY License. You can read more about the methodologies and detailed outcomes in JAMA Network Open ("ω-3 PUFA for Secondary Prevention of White Matter Lesions and Neuronal Integrity Breakdown in Older Adults A Randomized Clinical Trial," https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.26872).

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