Fish Consumption May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk A press release from the Radiological Association of North America recently reported on a study that suggests a regular fish consumption may reduce one's likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.
In this study, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center scanned the brains of 260 healthy adults 163 who reported consuming fish one to four times per week.
Using a mathematical model to control for age, gender, race, physical activity, and other factors, the researchers determined that the fish eaters were 3 to 5 times less likely to have brain shrinkage -- an indication of Alzheimer's and mild cognitive impairment.
"This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption brain structure and Alzheimer's risk," the study's author Dr.
Cyrus Raji writes in the press release.
"Consuming baked or broiled (not fried) fish promote stronger neurons in the brain's gray matter by making them larger and healthier.
This simple lifestyle choice increases the brain's resistance to Alzheimer's disease and lowers risk for the disorder.
" In addition to studying brain volume, Dr.
Raji and colleagues also examined how consuming fish would affect the participants' cognitive skills over time particularly working memory.
"Working memory, which allows people to focus on tasks and commit information to short-term memory is destroyed by Alzheimer's disease," writes Dr.
Raji "We found higher levels of working memory in people who ate baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis even when accounting for other factors such as education, age, gender, and physical activity.
" source: rsna.
org Fish Oil Supplements May Improve Thinking In another study reported by ScienceDaily researchers at Rhode Island Hospital's Alzheimer's disease and Memory Disorders Center used brain imaging technology to examine the brains of 819 participants 117 of them reported regularly using fish oil supplements.
The researchers demonstrated a positive association between regular fish oil usage and better cognitive functioning and brain structure.
"Fish oil use was associated with less brain shrinkage in patients taking fish oil supplements," said the lead researcher Lori Diello Pharm.
D.
"We found a significant positive association between fish oil supplement use and brain volumes into critical areas utilized in memory and thinking.
These observations should motivate further study of the possible effects of long-term fish oil supplementation on important markers of cognitive decline.
" source: ScienceDaily.
com Omega 3s and Vitamins Important For Brain Health TIME Magazine's website reported on a study published in the Journal Neurology in which researchers at Oregon Health and Science University examined 104 elderly, but healthy individuals testing their blood for various vitamins, nutrients, fats and cholesterol.
They later compare the information from the blood test with MRI scans of the participants brains, and with their performance on various cognitive tests.
The research team discovered that those who had higher levels of vitamins B, C, D and E and omega-3 fatty acids scored higher on the mental function tests and were less likely to suffer brain shrinkage whereas those who had higher levels of trans fats in their diet scored lower on the test and experienced greater brain shrinkage.
"These results need to be confirmed,"said Dr.
Jean Bowman the lead researcher on this study "but obviously it is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking, and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet.
" source: time.
com Further, low levels of many of the B Vitamins and Omega 3s are highly correlated with depression.
Consider adding a B-Complex vitamin and Omega 3s and daily exercise before resorting to anti-depressant drugs.