PITTSBURGH—Middle-aged adults with high serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) perform better on neuropsychological tests of cognitive function, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition (ePub Feb. 24, 2010; DOI:10.3945/jn.109.119578). Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh looked for potential associations between omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) in serum phospholipids and major dimensions of cognitive functioning in 280 adults, ages 35 to 54 years of age, who were free of major neuropsychiatric disorders and not taking fish oil supplements. Serum phospholipid levels of DHA, alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were determined, while cognitive functioning was assessed using a 75-minute battery of neuropsychological tests.
The research team found higher levels of DHA were related to better performance on tests of nonverbal reasoning, mental flexibility, working memory and vocabulary, generally in a linear association. The associations between DHA and nonverbal reasoning and working memory remained significant after adjustment for participant education and vocabulary scores. However, neither EPA nor ALA was notably related to any of the dimensions of cognitive performance.
