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Rhode Island Hospital study identifies fish oil's impact on cognition and brain structure
Lifespan ^ | August 17, 2011 | Unknown

Posted on 08/17/2011 7:39:51 AM PDT by decimon

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital's Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center have found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive functioning as well as differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements. The findings suggest possible benefits of fish oil supplements on brain health and aging. The results were reported at the recent International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, in Paris, France.

The study was led by Lori Daiello, PharmD, a research scientist at the Rhode Island Hospital Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center. Data for the analyses was obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a large multi-center, NIH-funded study that followed older adults with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's Disease for over three years with periodic memory testing and brain MRIs.

The study included 819 individuals, 117 of whom reported regular use of fish oil supplements before entry and during study follow-up. The researchers compared cognitive functioning and brain atrophy for patients who reported routinely using these supplements to those who were not using fish oil supplements.

Daiello reports that compared to non-users, use of fish oil supplements was associated with better cognitive functioning during the study. However, this association was significant only in those individuals who had a normal baseline cognitive function and in individuals who tested negative for a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease known as APOE4. This is consistent with previous research.

The unique finding, however, is that there was a clear association between fish oil supplements and brain volume. Consistent with the cognitive outcomes, these observations were significant only for those who were APOE4 negative.

Daiello says, "In the imaging analyses for the entire study population, we found a significant positive association between fish oil supplement use and average brain volumes in two critical areas utilized in memory and thinking (cerebral cortex and hippocampus), as well as smaller brain ventricular volumes compared to non-users at any given time in the study. In other words, fish oil use was associated with less brain shrinkage in patients taking these supplements during the ADNI study compared to those who didn't report using them."

Daiello continues, "These observations should motivate further study of the possible effects of long-term fish oil supplementation on important markers of cognitive decline and the potential influence of genetics on these outcomes."

The research team included Brian Ott M.D., director of the Rhode Island Hospital and Memory Disorders Center, Assawin Gongvatana Ph.D., Shira Dunsiger Ph.D. and Ronald Cohen Ph.D. from The Miriam Hospital and the Brown University Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Gonvatana and Cohen), and Department of Behavior and Social Sciences (Dunsiger).

###

Daiello is a research scientist at Rhode Island Hospital, a member hospital of the Lifespan health system in Rhode Island and an assistant professor of neurology (research) at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Direct financial and infrastructure support for this project was received through the Lifespan Office of Research Administration. The study was supported by career development grants from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (Daiello) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (Gongvatana).

About Rhode Island Hospital

Founded in 1863, Rhode Island Hospital (www.rhodeislandhospital.org) in Providence, RI, is a private, not-for-profit hospital, the largest teaching hospital of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a founding member of the Lifespan health system. A major trauma center for southeastern New England, the hospital is dedicated to being on the cutting edge of medicine and research. Rhode Island Hospital receives nearly $50 million each year in external research funding. It is also home to Hasbro Children's Hospital, the state's only facility dedicated to pediatric care.


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Science
KEYWORDS: alzheimers; fishoil; health; medicine
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1 posted on 08/17/2011 7:39:55 AM PDT by decimon
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To: neverdem; DvdMom; grey_whiskers; Ladysmith; Roos_Girl; Silentgypsy; conservative cat; ...

Ping


2 posted on 08/17/2011 7:41:49 AM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon

I took it for a while, but began to gain weight.

Is there a product with the same benefit but without the weight gain?


3 posted on 08/17/2011 7:43:11 AM PDT by SMARTY (A claim for equality of material position can be met only by a government with totalitarian powers.)
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To: SMARTY
a clear association between fish oil supplements and brain volume.

Presuming a constant density the weight gain is a good thing.
4 posted on 08/17/2011 7:46:38 AM PDT by posterchild
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To: SMARTY

You took fish oil supplements and gained weight? Did the supplements increase your appetite?


5 posted on 08/17/2011 7:49:23 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: SMARTY

You can’t gain weight from a daily supplement of fish oil.


6 posted on 08/17/2011 7:54:07 AM PDT by CaptainK (...please make it stop. Shake a can of pennies at it.)
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To: momtothree; SMARTY
You took fish oil supplements and gained weight? Did the supplements increase your appetite?

I haven't heard of fish oil causing weight gain.

I've seen salmon oil and krill oil at CVS so it should be easy to give those a try.

7 posted on 08/17/2011 7:57:17 AM PDT by decimon
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To: CaptainK

I just looked at the fish oil pills (with berry extract) that I take... 2 pills have 20 calories. I am thinking the only way to gain weight is to get your fish oil from pounds and pounds of fried fish!


8 posted on 08/17/2011 7:58:39 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: decimon

Larry: “You know, fish is great brain food!”
Moe: “You should fish for a whale!” *SLAP*


9 posted on 08/17/2011 8:05:13 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

10 posted on 08/17/2011 8:13:19 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB (My mind is like a steel trap: rusty and illegal in 37 states.)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

11 posted on 08/17/2011 8:14:57 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: decimon

There are several variables about fish oil you need to know.

The first major hint that something of therapeutic value existed in fish oil was an enormous study by the AMA of Doctors and Nurses, which discovered that those who ate fish once a week were much less likely to have the acute, fatal type of heart attack when you are dead before you hit the floor.

The next major breakthrough was in discovering that the Omega-3 oil was the responsible factor. It had anti-inflammatory properties that balanced out the much more common Omega-6 oil, found in other meats, which by itself could slightly inflame tissue. (There is also the healthy type Omega-9 oil, but it is much less potent.)

And now it has been discovered that healthy Omega-3 oil actually has two components, EPA and DHA, and DHA does most of the “healthy heavy lifting”. So now just DHA is sold in stores as such.

(Importantly, do not confuse DHA with another OTC supplement called DHEA, which is completely different.)

EPA is still good, so fish oil is still good, but if you want to “cut to the chase”, you will want just DHA, and few fish oil pills once a week.


12 posted on 08/17/2011 8:18:41 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: decimon
Any clue what they mean by Fish Oil ?

13 posted on 08/17/2011 8:21:35 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
...those who ate fish once a week were much less likely to have the acute, fatal type of heart attack...

Proving that Catholics are goodhearted.

14 posted on 08/17/2011 8:30:00 AM PDT by decimon
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To: UriÂ’el-2012
Any clue what they mean by Fish Oil ?

That's when you take your Barracuda to Jiffy Lube.

Or maybe it's the oil wrung from oily fish.

15 posted on 08/17/2011 8:33:33 AM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon
U-2012> Any clue what they mean by Fish Oil ?

Is it standardized, farm raised, wild, kriil, cod,
salmon, atlantic, pacific antarctic etc... ?

16 posted on 08/17/2011 8:38:16 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: UriÂ’el-2012

About Fish Oil. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=FishOil

Good oils are essential for health. As is controlling how much food that you eat by having five small meals (a bit of protein each meal) each day. Then you must exercise by walking, running, weight lifting. The benefits of slowing (or reserving) the effects of aging are worth figuring this out.


17 posted on 08/17/2011 8:40:59 AM PDT by garjog
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To: UriÂ’el-2012

Fish is expensive so I’ll guess that they take the oil from the discarded parts. Then again, I don’t know.


18 posted on 08/17/2011 8:55:25 AM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon
if you can not hold a variable constant,
then it is Junk science.

19 posted on 08/17/2011 9:11:19 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Also, you need about 600 mg of Omega-3 a day. It’s not necessary to take Omega-6 because we get that from multiple food sources already. You’re supposed to get twice as much Omega-3 as Omega-6. Omega-3 is linked to brain development, so it’s important for pregnant women to add it to their supplements.


20 posted on 08/17/2011 1:51:06 PM PDT by My hearts in London - Everett (Still searching for the new tagline!)
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