Shining a light on the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the brain: The relationship between cerebral blood flow parameters and cognition

Abstract

Higher dietary intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) is associated with better cognitive function in older adults and reduced incidence of dementia. One potential mechanism underpinning this relationship is via modulation of cerebrovascular parameters and therefore increasingly, neuroimaging techniques such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and fMRI have been applied to investigate the effect of n-3 PUFAs on cerebral blood flow in humans. These studies have revealed that n-3 PUFA supplementation has subtle effects on cerebral blood flow which may indeed underpin the positive relationship between their intake and cognition across the lifespan; at present these changes are more apparent in children and younger adults.