The effects of omega-3 fatty acids monotherapy in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment

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Supplementation with Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Improve Cognitive Function

in Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment

http://www.vitasearch.com/CP/weeklyupdates/

Reference: " The effects of omega-3 fatty acids monotherapy in

Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: A preliminary

randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, " Chiu CC, Huang SY, et

al, Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 2008 May 25; [Epub ahead

of print]. (Address: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric

Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan).

Summary: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

involving 23 participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and

23 with mild cognitive impairment, results indicate that supplementation

with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may improve cognitive

function in participants with mild cognitive impairment. The subjects

were randomized to 1.8 g/day omega-3 PUFAs or placebo, for a period of

24 weeks. At intervention end, the omega-3 PUFAs-supplemented group

showed greater improvement on the Clinician's Interview-Based Impression

of Change Scale, compared to subjects in the placebo group.

Additionally, among participants with mild cognitive impairment,

subjects in the omega-3 PUFAs group showed significant improvement in

the cognitive portion of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale,

compared to subjects in the placebo group. Higher levels of EPA

(eicosapentaenoic acid) in RBC membranes were associated with better

cogni tive outcome. Thus, the results of this study suggest that

supplementation with omega-3 PUFAs may improve the general clinical

condition in subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and

those with mild cognitive impairment. These results also suggest that

omega-3 PUFAs may improve cognitive function in subjects with mild

cognitive impairment, but not those with Alzheimer's disease. Additional

research is warranted.

--

ne Holden, MS, RD

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

" Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease "

" Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy "

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