Health & Medicine Week

02-26-16

Findings from Zhejiang University Yields New Findings on Dementia (Intakes of fish and polyunsaturated fatty acids and mild-to-severe cognitive impairment risks: a dose-response meta-analysis of 21 cohort studies)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week -- Investigators discuss new findings in Dementia and Mental Illness. According to news reporting originating in HangzhouPeople's Republic of China, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "The intake of fish and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may benefit cognitive function. However, optimal intake recommendations for protection are unknown."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Zhejiang University, "We systematically investigated associations between fish and PUFA intake and mild-to-severe cognitive impairment risk. Studies that reported risk estimates for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD), or Parkinson disease (PD) from fish, total PUFAs, total n-3 (omega-3) PUFAs, or at least one n-3 PUFA were included. Study characteristics and outcomes were extracted. The pooled RR was estimated with the use of a random-effects model meta analysis. A dose-response analysis was conducted with the use of the 2-stage generalized least-squares trend program. We included 21 studies (181,580 participants) with 4438 cases identified during follow-up periods (2.1-21 y). A 1-serving/wk increment of dietary fish was associated with lower risks of dementia (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.90, 0.99; P = 0.042, I-2 = 63.4%) and AD (RR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.90, 0.95; P = 0.003, I-2 = 74.8%). Pooled RRs of MCI and PD were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.82; P = 0.733,12 = 0%) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.99; P = 0.221, I-2 = 33.7%), respectively, for an 8-g/d increment of PUFA intake. As an important source of marine n-3 PUFAs, a 0.1-g/d increment of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake was associated with lower risks of dementia (RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.96; P< 0.001, I-2 = 92.7%) and AD (RR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.76; P< 0.001, I-2 = 94.5%). Significant curvilinear relations between fish consumption and risk of AD and between total PUFAs and risk of MCI (both P-nonlinearity < 0.001) were observed. Fishery products are recommended as dietary sources and are associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Marine derived DHA was associated with lower risk of dementia and AD but without a linear dose-response relation."

For more information on this research see: Intakes of fish and polyunsaturated fatty acids and mild-to-severe cognitive impairment risks: a dose-response meta-analysis of 21 cohort studies. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2016;103(2):330-340. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition can be contacted at: Amer Soc Nutrition-Asn, 9650 Rockville PikeBethesda, MD 20814, USA (see also Dementia and Mental Illness).

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Y. ZhangZhejiang University, Sch Med, Dept. of Epidemiol & Hlth StatHangzhou 310003, ZhejiangPeople's Republic of China. Additional authors for this research include J.N. ChenJ.N. QiuY.J. LiJ.B. Wang and J.J. Jiao.