Weekly fish consumption may reduce the risk of dementia.

[Guest guest]

€ THE QUESTION Can a diet that regularly includes fish lower a

person's risk of Alzheimer's disease?

€ PAST STUDIES have shown that fish consumption may be

beneficial for learning and memory, but it is not known if fish has

any protective effect against Alzheimer's disease.

€ THIS STUDY involved 815 people aged 65 and older. Over a

four-year period, 131 of the participants developed Alzheimer's

disease. Those who consumed fish at least once a week had a 60

percent lower risk of Alzheimer's than people who rarely ate fish.

€ WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People aged 65 and older,

especially if tests have shown they are genetically predisposed to

Alzheimer's disease.

€ CAVEATS The results are not based on a randomized trial. In addition, food

intake was

self-reported at the beginning of the study.

€ BOTTOM LINE People at risk for Alzheimer's disease, including all those

over 65, may

wish to consider a diet that includes fish. An accompanying editorial,

however, points out the

risk of excessive mercury intake from some species, such as swordfish.

€ FIND THIS STUDY July issue of the Archives of Neurology; abstract online

at

archneur.ama-assn.org/.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45194-2003Aug25.html