ANTI-SENILITY REPORT

ANTI-SENILITY REPORT

EPA May Slow Cognitive Decline

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, DEPRESSION, COGNITIVE FUNCTION - Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Medial Temporal Lobe, EPA, DHA

"Plasma long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and atrophy of the medial temporal lobe," Samieri C, Maillard P, et al, Neurology, 2012 Aug 14; 79(7):642-50. (Address: Cecilia Samieri, Epidemiologie de la nutrition et des comportements alimentaires, Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France. E-mail: Cecilia.Samieri@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr ).

A clinical study involving 281 community dwellers aged 65 years or older found that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may be linked to lower gray matter atrophy. Subjects' plasma fatty acid levels were measured at baseline, and MRI examinations were performed at baseline and at 4 years. Results found that higher plasma EPA, but not DHA, was associated with lower gray matter atrophy of the right hippocampal/parahippocampal area and of the right amygdala. These results indicate that EPA intake may slow cognitive decline. Additional research is warranted.

Statin Drugs May Influence Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

METABOLIC SYNDROME - Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Statin, Myocardial Infarction, EPA, DHA, ALA

"Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on major cardiovascular events in statin users and non-users with a history of myocardial infarction," Eussen SR, Geleijnse JM, et al, Eur Heart J, 2012 Jul; 33(13): 1582-8. (Address: Olaf H. Klungel, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. E-mail: O.H.Klungel@uu.nl ).

A randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial involving 3740 statin users and 413 statin non-users found that statins modify the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI). Subjects received daily either 400 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or 2 g alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), or both, or placebo. Results showed that statin non-users who received EPA-DHA plus ALA experienced a reduced incidence of cardiovascular events, while for statin users, omega-3 did not reduce the incidence of CV events. Results indicate that statins may modify the effect of omega-3 fatty acids, but that for patients with a history of MI who are not treated with statins, low-dose supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may reduce major cardiovascular events.