Association Between Fish Oil Supplements and Brain Volume

US Pharm. 2011;36(9):10.

Providence, RI — A large study from Rhode Island Hospital’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center has found a positive association between fish oil supplements and cognitive functioning. Additionally, subjects regularly taking fish oil supplements had less brain shrinkage in two key areas utilized in thinking and memory. Subjects were followed for more than 3 years and received periodic memory testing and MRIs. The associations were significant only in individuals who had normal baseline cognitive function and tested negative for APOE4, a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. The possible benefits of fish oil supplements on brain health and aging, as well as the potential influence of genetics on outcomes, need to be explored further.