Journal ArticleDOI
Omega-3 fatty acids, energy substrates, and brain function during aging
Erika Freemantle,Milène Vandal,Jennifer Tremblay-Mercier,Sébastien Tremblay,Jean-Christophe Blachère,Michel E. Bégin,J. Thomas Brenna,Anthony Windust,Stephen C. Cunnane +8 more
TLDR
It is speculated that ALA and EPA may well have useful supporting roles in maintaining brain function during aging but not by their conversion to DHA, as ALA is an efficient ketogenic fatty acid, while EPA promotes fatty acid oxidation.Abstract:
The maintenance of optimal cognitive function is a central feature of healthy aging. Impairment in brain glucose uptake is common in aging associated cognitive deterioration, but little is known of how this problem arises or whether it can be corrected or bypassed. Several aspects of the challenge to providing the brain with an adequate supply of fuel during aging seem to relate to omega-3 fatty acids. For instance, low intake of omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is becoming increasingly associated with several forms of cognitive decline in the elderly, particularly Alzheimer's disease. Brain DHA level seems to be an important regulator of brain glucose uptake, possibly by affecting the activity of some but not all the glucose transporters. DHA synthesis from either α-linolenic acid (ALA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is very low in humans begging the question of whether these DHA precursors are likely to be helpful in maintaining cognition during aging. We speculate that ALA and EPA may well have useful supporting roles in maintaining brain function during aging but not by their conversion to DHA. ALA is an efficient ketogenic fatty acid, while EPA promotes fatty acid oxidation. By helping to produce ketone bodies, the effects of ALA and EPA could well be useful in strategies intended to use ketones to bypass problems of impaired glucose access to the brain during aging. Hence, it may be time to consider whether the main omega-3 fatty acids have distinct but complementary roles in brain function.read more
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Health Implications of High Dietary Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
TL;DR: Increases in chronic inflammatory diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease are increases, so reducing the ratio of (n-3) : (n-6) PUFA in the Western diet may be achieved in the incidence of these chronicinflammatory diseases.
Journal ArticleDOI
Extremely limited synthesis of long chain polyunsaturates in adults: implications for their dietary essentiality and use as supplements.
TL;DR: In this paper, the extent of conversion in humans of the parent PUFA, linoleic acid or alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), to their respective long-chain PUFA products was investigated.
Journal ArticleDOI
Brain fuel metabolism, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease
Stephen C. Cunnane,Scott Nugent,Maggie Roy,Alexandre Courchesne-Loyer,Etienne Croteau,Sébastien Tremblay,Alex Castellano,Fabien Pifferi,Christian Bocti,Nancy Paquet,Hadi Begdouri,M'hamed Bentourkia,Eric Turcotte,Michèle Allard,Pascale Barberger-Gateau,Tamas Fulop,Stanley I. Rapoport +16 more
TL;DR: It is suggested that brain hypometabolism may precede and therefore contribute to the neuropathologic cascade leading to cognitive decline in AD, and strategies to reduce the risk of AD should aim to improve insulin sensitivity by improving systemic glucose utilization, or bypass deteriorating brain glucose metabolism using approaches that safely induce mild, sustainable ketonemia.
Journal ArticleDOI
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) from genesis to senescence: The influence of LCPUFA on neural development, aging, and neurodegeneration
TL;DR: This review shows that LCPUFA are essential throughout life, especially for neuronal membrane integrity and function, and also contribute in prevention of brain hypoperfusion.
Journal ArticleDOI
Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) in Clinical Trials in Depression
TL;DR: This meta-analysis tests the hypothesis that EPA is the effective component in PUFA treatment of major depressive episodes by searching for studies published in English from 1960 through June 2010 using the terms fish oils (MeSH) AND (depressive disorder [MeSH] OR bipolar depression) AND randomized controlled trial (publication type).
References
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Marthac Clare Morris,Denis A. Evans,Julia L. Bienias,Christine C. Tangney,David A. Bennett,Robert S. Wilson,Neelum T. Aggarwal,Julie A. Schneider +7 more
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