Dementia: Study highlights ‘exciting’ benefits of healthy fats for brain health
The devastation of incurable diseases has made dementia a top priority for medical experts. But without a cure on the horizon, lifestyle measures like diet offer the best defence.
A new study has shown that increasing “healthy fats” like omega-3s in the brain could benefit people with frontotemporal dementia.
The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, was conducted by researchers at the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL and the UCL Institute of Healthy Aging.
Researchers found that boosting these fatty acids dramatically increased survival in fruit flies and human brain cells with the C9orf72 gene mutation; the leading genetic cause of motor neuron disease (MND) and frontotemporal dementia.
Scientists had previously linked high dietary levels of omega-3 fatty acids with lower MND risk, but the mechanisms weren’t well understood.
The new research provides crucial insight into why these “healthy fats” might protect brain cells.
Professor Adrian Isaacs from UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology explained: “Epidemiological studies suggest that people with a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids have a lower risk of developing motor neuron disease. Our study adds a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind this.
“We first need to work out which specific fatty acid would be best to test in humans, and how we can deliver sufficient quantities to the brain. Then, we want to take these findings forward into a clinical trial.”
For their study, researchers measured levels of different fats in human brain cells and flies carrying the C9orf72 gene mutation.
They discovered that poly-unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3s, were significantly reduced in the MND/FTD flies compared to controls.
These fatty acids were also found to be reduced in the brain cells of people with MND/FTD.
Scientists first fed the flies essential fatty acids through their diet, which led to a small improvement in survival.
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When they delivered fatty acids directly to the brain cells of flies, survival increased dramatically by 83 per cent, from 15 days to 27.5 days.
Similar experiments with cells from people with MND/FTD showed that increasing fatty acid levels prolonged cell survival by 30 per cent.
Dr Julia Dudley from Alzheimer’s Research UK noted: “It is exciting to see findings which suggest that increasing levels of fatty acids, including omega-3 could be protective against motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia.”
Where to find omega-3 fatty acids:
Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies, are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It is also present in nuts and seeds.
Omega-3 supplements can be taken to bridge nutritional gaps. According to most health experts, however, getting omega-3s from dietary sources like fatty fish is generally considered better than taking supplements.