Nutrition in Brain Development and Aging: Role of Essential Fatty Acids
Source: Ricardo Uauy, MD, PhD, and Alan D. Dangour, PhD
The essential fatty acids (EFAs), particularly the n-3
long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPs), are important
for brain development during both the fetal and
postnatal period. They are also increasingly seen to be of
value in limiting the cognitive decline during aging. EFA
deficiency was first shown over 75 years ago, but the
more subtle effects of the n-3 fatty acids in terms of skin
changes, a poor response to linoleic acid supplementation,
abnormal visual function, and peripheral neuropathy
were only discovered later. Both n-3 and n-6 LCPs
play important roles in neuronal growth, development of
synaptic processing of neural cell interaction, and expression
of genes regulating cell differentiation and
growth. The fetus and placenta are dependent on maternal
EFA supply for their growth and development, with
docosahexaenomic acid (DHA)-supplemented infants
showing significantly greater mental and psychomotor
development scores (breast-fed children do even better).
Dietary DHA is needed for the optimum functional maturation
of the retina and visual cortex, with visual acuity
and mental development seemingly improved by extra
DHA. Aging is also associated with decreased brain
levels of DHA: fish consumption is associated with decreased
risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and
the reported daily use of fish-oil supplements has been
linked to improved cognitive function scores, but confirmation
of these effects is needed.
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