Alzheimer’s Advance: Omega-3 fatty acid benefits mice
By Nathan Seppa
A diet that includes a key omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and canola oil prevents some memory loss in mice that develop a disease similar to Alzheimer’s, researchers report in the Sept. 2 Neuron.
The finding is consistent with previous research suggesting that fish oil supplements might reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people. Other work has shown that the fatty acid, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is essential to brain function and that Alzheimer’s patients have low concentrations of it in their blood.