Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Improve Brain Function and Structure in Older Adults

Abstract

Higher intake of seafish or oil rich in long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-n3-FA) may be beneficial for the aging brain. We tested in a prospective interventional design whether high levels of supplementary LC-n3-FA would improve cognition, and addressed potential mechanisms underlying the effects. Sixty-five healthy subjects (50-75 years, 30 females) successfully completed 26 weeks of either fish oil (2.2 g/day LC-n3-FA) or placebo intake. Before and after the intervention period, cognitive performance, structural neuroimaging, vascular markers, and blood parameters were assayed. We found a significant increase in executive functions after LC-n3-FA compared with placebo (P = 0.023). In parallel, LC-n3-FA exerted beneficial effects on white matter microstructural integrity and gray matter volume in frontal, temporal, parietal, and limbic areas primarily of the left hemisphere, and on carotid intima media thickness and diastolic blood pressure. Improvements in executive functions correlated positively with changes in omega-3-index and peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and negatively with changes in peripheral fasting insulin. This double-blind randomized interventional study provides first-time evidence that LC-n3-FA exert positive effects on brain functions in healthy older adults, and elucidates underlying mechanisms. Our findings suggest novel strategies to maintain cognitive functions into old age.

Full text

Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Improve Brain Function and Structure in Older Adults
A. Veronica Witte1,2, Lucia Kerti1, Henrike M. Hermannstädter1, Jochen B. Fiebach1,3, Stephan J. Schreiber1,
Jan Philipp Schuchardt4, Andreas Hahn4and Agnes Flöel1,2,3
1
Department of Neurology,
2
NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence,
3
Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany and
4
Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Leibniz University of Hannover, Hannover
30167, Germany
A. Veronica Witte and Lucia Kerti have contributed equally to this work.
Address correspondence to Veronica Witte, Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CCM, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin,
Germany. Email: veronica.witte@charite.de; or Agnes Flöel, Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CCM, Charitéplatz 1,
10117 Berlin, Germany. Email: agnes.floeel@charite.de.
Higher intake of seafish or oil rich in long-chain omega-3 polyunsatu-
rated fatty acids (LC-n3-FA) may be beneficial for the aging brain. We
tested in a prospective interventional design whether high levels of
supplementary LC-n3-FA would improve cognition, and addressed
potential mechanisms underlying the effects. Sixty-five healthy sub-
jects (50–75 years, 30 females) successfully completed 26 weeks of
either fish oil (2.2 g/day LC-n3-FA) or placebo intake. Before and
after the intervention period, cognitive performance, structural neuroi-
maging, vascular markers, and blood parameters were assayed. We
foundasignificant increase in executive functions after LC-n3-FA com-
pared with placebo (P= 0.023). In parallel, LC-n3-FA exerted beneficial
effects on white matter microstructural integrity and gray matter
volume in frontal, temporal, parietal, and limbic areas primarily of the
left hemisphere, and on carotid intima media thickness and diastolic
blood pressure. Improvements in executive functions correlated posi-
tively with changes in omega-3-index and peripheral brain-derived neu-
rotrophic factor, and negatively with changes in peripheral fasting
insulin. This double-blind randomized interventional study provides
first-time evidence that LC-n3-FA exert positive effects on brain func-
tions in healthy older adults, and elucidates underlying mechanisms.
Our findings suggest novel strategies to maintain cognitive functions
into old age.
Keywords: cognitive aging, diffusion tensor imaging, executive functions,
intima media thickness, voxel-based morphometry
Introduction
Due to the constant growth of the elderly population world-
wide, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) increase expo-
nentially (Plassman et al. 2011). As the process of AD begins
years, if not decades, before the diagnosis of clinical dementia
(Morris 2005), searching for new prevention strategies is of
major economic and medical importance (Lowin et al. 2001).
Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-n3-FA),
particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA), may exert beneficial effects on the aging brain
(Gomez-Pinilla 2008;Fotuhi et al. 2009;Hooijmans et al.
2012). For example, animal experiments showed that LC-n3-FA
supplementation up-regulates synaptic membrane proteins im-
plicated in synaptic plasticity (Cansev and Wurtman 2007) and
improves executive functions and learning abilities (Hooij-
mans et al. 2012). Human studies showed that higher LC-n3-FA
consumption correlates with better cognitive functioning
(Kalmijn et al. 2004), a reduced risk for dementia (Barberger-
Gateau et al. 2007), lower β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42) plasma levels
(Gu et al. 2012), higher total brain (Tan et al. 2012) and
hippocampal volume (Conklin et al. 2007), and with reduced
white matter hyperintensities (Conklin et al. 2007). Others re-
ported inverse associations between DHA concentrations and
carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), a surrogate marker of
atherosclerosis (Sekikawa et al. 2011).
However, interventional studies of supplementary LC-n3-FA
showed contradictory results. Some studies reported improved
cognition after 6 months of LC-n3-FA, compared with placebo
in healthy elderly with subjective memory complaints (Yurko-
Mauro et al. 2010) and in small groups of patients with mild
cognitive impairment (MCI; Chiu et al. 2008) or very mild AD
(Freund-Levi et al. 2006). In contrast, others did not report sig-
nificant effects in healthy elderly (van de Rest et al. 2008) and
in AD patients (Quinn et al. 2010). In summary, the impact of
LC-n3-FA supplementation on cognitive functions in humans is
still a matter of debate, and underlying mechanisms on the sys-
temic and neuronal level in humans remain unclear. We there-
fore assessed the effects of supplementary LC-n3-FA (2200
mg/day) over 26 weeks on cognitive performance in a cohort
of healthy older adults, using composite scores of memory and
executive functions (Chiu et al. 2008;van de Rest et al. 2008)in
a double-blind randomized interventional study. Moreover,
white matter integrity, gray matter (GM) volume, CIMT, and
peripheral parameters (omega-3 index, glucose/insulin metab-
olism, inflammatory markers, and neurotrophins) were as-
sessed to examine potential mechanisms.
Materials and Methods
Subjects
Participants were recruited via advertisements in Berlin, Germany. Ex-
clusion criteria were severe disease including diabetes mellitus type 2,
neurological disorders, psychiatric medication, a mini-mental state
examination (MMSE; Folstein et al. 1975) <26 points, a body mass
index (BMI) <25 kg/m
2
or >30 kg/m
2
, intake of acetylsalicylic acid,
daily consumption of >50 g alcohol, >10 cigarettes, or >6 cups of
coffee, non-fluent German, and left-handedness. Subjects did not take
dietary supplements containing fish oil before starting the trial.
Subjects underwent a medical examination before baseline testings,
which included neuropsychological testing, structural magnetic reson-
ance imaging (MRI) of the brain, and assessment of vascular markers,
blood parameters, and anthropometry (Session 1; see Fig. 1). Psychia-
tric comorbidity was additionally monitored using the Beck’s
Depression Inventory (BDI; Kuhner et al. 2007) and Spielberger’s
State-Trait Angst Inventar (STAI 1 and 2; Laux et al. 1981). Participants
were randomized into 3 groups: (1) LC-n3-FA (n= 40), (2) placebo
(n= 40), and (3) into a separate study testing cognitive effects of
caloric restriction (reported separately, n= 41). The LC-n3-FA group re-
ceived fish oil capsules for 26 weeks (4 capsules daily) comprising
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Cerebral Cortex
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2200 mg LC-n3-FA (1320 mg EPA +880 mg DHA, given as 1000 mg
fish oil and 15 mg vitamin E). Subjects of the control group received
placebo capsules (sunflower oil). All capsules were provided by Via Vi-
tamine, Oberhausen, Germany, identical in shape and color. Twelve
subjects were drop-outs (MRI pathologies, n= 6; withdrawal: nausea,
n= 2; and time constraints, n= 4). Three subjects failed to follow
dietary instruction (i.e. self-reported misses of capsule intake >5 times/
week), leaving 65 subjects for analysis who successfully completed
this double-blind interventional trial (mean age: 63.9 years ± 6.6 SD,
range from 50 to 75 years, 30 females, mean BMI: 27.6 kg/m
2
± 1.7 SD,
with 10–22 years of formal education, mean 16.3 years ± 3 SD). Those
subjects that were included into the analysis did not differ with regard
to age, sex, or education from those excluded (all P> 0.77), or those of
the caloric restriction study (all P> 0.12), or drop-outs (all P> 0.56).
Baseline characteristics did not differ between groups (Table 1). After
26 weeks of intervention/control period, all baseline measurements
were repeated (Session 2; see Fig. 1).
The study was conducted at the Department of Neurology at the
Charité University Hospital of Berlin, Germany. All subjects provided
written informed consent and received reimbursement. The research
protocol was in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and ap-
proved by the local Ethics Committee.
Compliance
Compliance was monitored by an evaluation questionnaire at the end
of the study and by capsule counts after 12 and 26 weeks. In addition,
the omega-3 index (von Schacky and Harris 2007) served as a measure
of LC-n3-FA intake, and subjects had to fill out detailed nutrition proto-
cols over periods of 7 days at baseline, after 12 weeks, and again after
26 weeks, to monitor dietary intake of fatty acids. They were instructed
not to change dietary habits, for example, monthly fish consumption,
throughout the intervention.
Omega-3 Index
Erythrocyte membrane fatty acid compositions were assessed at base-
line and after 26 weeks. Blood samples were collected and immedi-
ately centrifuged, and the erythrocyte fraction was stored at −80 °C
until assayed. Two samples of the control group had to be excluded
due to technical problems. The omega-3 index (von Schacky and
Harris 2007) was defined as the percentage of EPA (C20:5n-3) + DHA
(C22:6n-3) of total fatty acid areas, determined using a gas chromato-
graph (HP 5890 Series II with Autosampler). Analyses were performed
by Lipidomix Laboratory, Berlin, Germany.
Neuropsychological Testing
Neuropsychological testing comprised verbal fluency, trail making test
(TMT) part A and B, Stroop Color-Word test, auditory verbal learning
task (AVLT), and forward and backward digit spans (Lezak 2004;van
de Rest et al. 2008). In the AVLT (Lezak 2004), participants had to re-
member and recall a list of 15 words within 5 immediate recall trials,
followed by a 30-min delayed recall and recognition trial. Memory con-
solidation was defined as the number of correct words recalled after
the fifth trial subtracted by those correctly recalled after the 30-min
delay. Parallel versions were used to avoid test–retest effects. Test
scores were z-transformed and averaged to create composite scores for
executive functions, memory performance ( primary outcomes), sen-
sorimotor speed, and attention, according to van de Rest et al. (2008).
Composite scores were defined as follows: executive functions = [z
phonemic fluency + z semantic fluency −z TMT (part B −part A)/part
A−z STROOP ( part 3 −( part 1 + part 2))/2]/4; memory = (z AVLT
learning + z AVLT delayed recall + z AVLT recognition + z digit span
backward)/4; sensorimotor speed = (−z TMT part A −z STROOP part
A−z STROOP part B)/3; attention =z digit span forward. Mood during
testing was assessed by the positive and negative affect schedule
(PANAS; Krohne et al. 1996; 2 subjects could not be evaluated due to
missing values).
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRI was performed on a Siemens Trio system operating at 3 T using a
12-channel head coil. Each subject underwent a 3-dimensional scan-
ning protocol using diffusion-weighted images using a spin-echo
planar imaging sequence (time to repeat, TR= 7500 ms, time to echo,
TE = 86 ms, 61 axial slices, voxel size of 2.3 × 2.3 × 2.3 mm
3
; 64 direc-
tions with a b-value of 1000 s/mm
2
and one b0). In addition, high-
resolution T
1
-weighted magnetization prepared rapid gradient-echo
images (TR = 1900 ms, TE = 2.52 ms, 192 sagittal slices, voxel size of
1.0 × 1.0 × 1.0 mm
3
,flip angle = 9°) were acquired. Image preproces-
sings and analyses were done using the software packages FSL (www.
fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl) and freesurfer (http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.
edu/).
For voxel-wise analysis of changes in regional white matter micro-
structure, we used a customized longitudinal version of tract-based
spatial statistics (TBSS; Smith et al. 2006). Nine subjects had to be ex-
cluded due to missing scans, technical problems, or registration errors,
leaving 56 for analysis. For voxel-wise analysis of changes in GM
volume, we used a customized longitudinal version of voxel-based
morphometry (VBM; Good et al. 2001), implemented in FSL (Douaud
Figure 1. Flow chart of the study. Of 743 volunteers who were screened for inclusion
and exclusion criteria, 121 subjects completed baseline sessions including cognitive
testings, structural neuroimaging and assessment of vascular markers, and fasting
blood parameters. Subjects were randomly allocated either to the intervention arm
receiving supplementary LC-n3-FA (n= 40), or to the placebo arm (n= 40), or to a
separate study (n= 41). Twelve subjects were drop-outs, another 3 failed to follow
dietary instructions, leaving 65 healthy older adults for analysis who successfully
completed 26 weeks of either LC-n3-FA (n= 32) or placebo intake (n= 33). All
measurements were repeated at follow-up sessions.
Table 1
Baseline characteristics
LC-n3-FA Placebo P-value
N(nwomen) 32 (15) 33 (15) —
Age [years] 65 ± 6.3 (51–75) 62.9 ± 6.8 (50–75) 0.77
a
Education [degree] (range: 0 = no
education–5 = university degree)
4 ± 1.2 (1–5) 4.3 ± 1.2 (1–5) 0.21
c
Mini-mental state examination
(MMSE) [score]
29.1 ± 1.2 (26–30) 29.4 ± 0.8 (27–30) 0.52
b
Beck’s Depression Index [score] 6.3 ± 7.6 (0–32) 6.9 ± 5.2 (0–18) 0.27
a
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-X1
[score]
34.4 ± 9.5 (20–66) 34.8 ± 8.3 (20–57) 0.44
a
Right-handedness [%] 80.2 ± 15.9 (50–100) 82.0 ± 16.8 (40–100) 0.57
b
Note: Data expressed as mean ± SD and range (minimum–maximum). Handedness scores were
determined according to the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory.
a
Unpaired t-test.
b
Mann–Whitney U-test.
c
χ
2
test.
2Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Aging Brain •Witte et al.
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et al. 2007). Two subjects had to be excluded due to missing scans,
leaving 63 for analysis. For details of TBSS and VBM procedures, see
Supplementary Information.
Carotid Intima Media Thickness
All subjects underwent B-mode duplex ultrasound of the distal right
and left common carotid artery. Recordings were obtained with the
subject resting in a supine position with the head turned to the contral-
ateral side of the respective artery. CIMT was assessed according to the
Mannheim Intima Media Thickness Consensus (Touboul et al. 2007).
CIMT of the far vessel wall was semi-automatically measured with the
ultrasound transducer positioned 1 cm proximal to the carotid bulb
using a commercially available standardized real-time measurement
method (Esaote Mylab25Gold, Cologne, Germany). CIMT was defined
as the distance between the characteristic echoes of the lumen-intima
interface and the media-adventitia interface. Mean values (measured in
µm) were created by performing 3 CIMT measurements of each side.
Blood Parameters and Anthropometric Data
Fasting serum levels were collected to assess levels of triacylglycerides,
total cholesterol, high-to-low density lipoprotein (HDL-to-LDL) ratio,
insulin, glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), brain-derived
neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor 1, high-
sensitive C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and
interleukin-6 (IL-6). All parameters were analyzed by IMD Laboratory,
Berlin, Germany. Anthropometry included weight, height, and body
fat ( percentage, measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis).
Subjects also reported their physical activity and other lifestyle habits
using the Freiburger physical activity questionnaire (Frey et al. 1999)
implemented in a questionnaire on lifestyle habits (Floel et al. 2008).
Statistical Analysis
Analyses were done using SPSS 19 (PASW, SPSS, IBM). To detect sig-
nificant effects of LC-n3-FA supplementation on executive functions
and memory performance, we used repeated-measures analysis of var-
iance (ANOVA
RM
) with dependent variable “executive functions”or
“memory,”a repeated factor “time”(baseline vs. follow-up), and a
between-subject factor “group”(LC-n3-FA vs. placebo). Analysis was
conducted without prespecified statistical analysis plan prior to the
study. Correction for multiple comparisons was done using the Bonfer-
roni method; significance was set to P< 0.05/2. Student’st-tests were
run for post hoc comparisons, if appropriate.
As exploratory analyses, we conducted ANOVA
RM
for other neurop-
sychological outcome parameters and omega-3 index to detect signifi-
cant group by time interactions. Additionally, we focused on a
subgroup of subjects that adhered best to the intervention, defined as a
change in omega-3 index of at least or at max 1 confidence interval of
the group’s mean, n= 36 (cutoff values: LC-n3-FA group, minimum
+0.35%, n= 18; placebo, maximum −0.04%, n= 18). Demographic
characteristics at baseline were compared between groups using inde-
pendent t-tests, Mann–Whitney U-tests, or χ
2
tests. Changes over time
in vascular parameters, anthropometric measures, self-reported phys-
ical activity, mood, and serum parameters were evaluated using paired
t-tests or nonparametric tests, as appropriate. Associations between
changes in cognitive functions and serum parameters were assessed
using Spearman’s correlations. Levels of significance were set at
P< 0.05.
Longitudinal Voxel-Wise Statistics of White Matter
Microstructure and Gray Matter Volume
After preprocessing, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD),
radial diffusivity (RD), and GM volume datasets were voxelwise tested
for the statistical inference of group by time interactions using
permutation-based methods, accounting for nonlinearity of structural
images. Subject-specific differences in cortical FA, MD, RD, and GM
between timepoints 1 and 2 were calculated and voxelwise compared
between groups (LC-n3-FA vs. placebo) using the “randomise”tool
implemented in FSL. Correction for multiple comparisons was done
using threshold-free cluster enhancement (TFCE). A minimal cluster
size of 5 voxels was defined. Significance was set at P< 0.001.
Results
Changes in Omega-3 Index
After the intervention, subjects of the LC-n3-FA group dis-
played significantly higher proportions of DHA and EPA
measured in the membranes of erythrocytes of peripheral
blood (omega-3 index; von Schacky and Harris 2007), com-
pared with controls (ANOVA
RM
,F
1,61
= 10.4, P= 0.002; post
hoc t-test, t
(31)
= 2.6, P= 0.015; Fig. 2). Notably, LC-n3-FA sup-
plementation led to significant increases in EPA proportions
(Wilcoxon signed rank test, T= 4.3, P< 0.001), whereas signifi-
cant decreases were noted in the placebo group (Wilcoxon
signed rank test, T=−3.2, P= 0.002; Table 2). Changes in DHA
proportions did not reach significance (P> 0.05).
LC-n3-PUFA intake based on fish consumption was moder-
ate in our sample, and comparable between groups, with most
of the subjects consuming fish one time per week (see
Table 2). These habits did not change in the course of the inter-
vention, neither in the placebo, nor in the LC-n3-PUFA, group
(all P> 0.66).
Cognitive Changes
We observed a significant interaction effect of group X time on
executive functions (ANOVA
RM
,F
1,63
= 5.43, P= 0.023;
Bonferroni-corrected). Post hoc t-tests showed that LC-n3-FA
supplementation enhanced executive functions by 26%,
whereas performance remained constant after placebo (paired
t-test, t
(31)
=3, P= 0.005; Fig. 3A). Notably, improvements in
one of the subtests of the composite score, that is letter
fluency, correlated with increases in omega-3 index (trend,
r= 0.34, P= 0.06), and EPA (r= 0.46, P= 0.009; Fig. 3B) after
the intervention in the LC-n3-FA group.
Regarding the composite score for memory, both groups
showed a similar retest effect at follow-up, with no significant
effect of group (ANOVA
RM
, group X time: P= 0.6; time:
Figure 2. Proportion of LC-n3-FA in erythrocyte membranes (omega-3 index) at
baseline (pre, black bars) and after intervention/control period (post, striped bars).
Note that subjects of the LC-n3-FA supplementation group had a significantly higher
omega-3 index after the intervention compared with placebo (ANOVA
RM
,P= 0.002).
Error bars indicate standard error. *P< 0.05 according to post hoc t-test.
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F
1,63
= 19.8, P< 0.001). When focusing the analysis on those
individuals with best response to the intervention/placebo
condition (according to changes in omega-3 index, n= 37), a
selective interaction effect emerged for memory consolidation,
showing a trend for improvements after LC-n3-FA but not after
placebo (ANOVA
RM
F
1,35
= 3.1, P= 0.09; post hoc t-test,
Table 2
Vascular parameters, anthropometric measures, omega-3 index, dietary fish consumption, physical activity, mood, and fasting serum parameters of participants before and after the intervention period
Parameter LC-n3-FA Placebo
Pre Post P-value Pre Post P-value
CIMT left, µm 693.2 ± 131.0 662.7 ± 114.3 0.21
a
639.5 ± 103.8 633.9 ± 126.2 0.81
a
CIMT right, µm 677.1 ± 132.2 671.1 ± 141.2 0.99
b
651.5 ± 122.0 645.2 ± 106.1 0.75
a
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg 141.27 ± 15.8 139.4 ± 15.7 0.53
b
138.6 ± 14.3 138.9 ± 14.5 0.53
b
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg 88.2 ± 7.7 85.2 ± 9.8 0.047
b
86.8 ± 9.4 85.0 ± 7.5 0.51
b
Weight, kg 84.7 ± 9.7 85.4 ± 10.4 0.17
a
82.4 ± 8.3 82.2 ± 8.1 0.59
a
Body mass index, kg/m
2
27.7 ± 1.9 27.8 ± 1.9 0.51
b
27.6 ± 1.6 27.5 ± 1.6 0.39
b
Body fat, % 31.1 ± 7.2 31.7 ± 6.8 0.08
b
29.4 ± 8.7 31.0 ± 7.1 0.043
b
Omega-3 index, % 8.0 ± 2.5 9.7 ± 2.9 0.014
a
7.8 ± 2.6 6.8 ± 2.2 0.057
a
EPA, % 1.9 ± 0.84 3.2 ± 0.9 0.000
b
1.8 ± 0.7 1.3 ± 0.6 0.002
b
DHA, % 6.1 ± 1.9 6.5 ± 2.2 0.65
b
5.9 ± 2.2 5.5 ± 1.7 0.21
b
Dietary fish consumption, n%
Every day 0 0 0.66
c
0 3 0.81
c
>1× per week 21.9 21.9 15.2 24.2
1× per week 43.8 46.9 54.5 39.4
>1× per month 15.6 15.6 18.2 15.2
1× per month or less 15.6 9.4 9.1 15.2
Never 3.1 6.2 3 3
Physical activity, kcal/week 6765.7 ± 5413.8 5658.1 ± 4222.2 0.16
b
4299.7 ± 4061.2 4277.3 ± 3631.3 0.28
b
Positive PANAS score 32.2 ± 7.7 32.1 ± 8.1 0.92
b
32.8 ± 6.5 30.7 ± 7.1 0.037
b,d
Negative PANAS score 11.7 ± 3.7 12.0 ± 4.2 0.79
a
12.1 ± 2.9 12.3 ± 2.6 0.78
a
Triacyglycerides, mg/dL 100.8 ± 37.6 87.3 ± 29.8 0.009
a
101.1 ± 41.6 104.7 ± 49.3 0.57
a
Total cholesterol, mg/dL 214.6 ± 29.2 218.0 ± 27.9 0.34
a
222.0 ± 37.3 224.4 ± 39.3 0.54
a
HDL-to-LDL ratio 2.1 ± 0.5 2.1 ± 0.5 0.64
a
2.4 ± 0.7 2.4 ± 0.7 0.75
b
Insulin, mU 9.2 ± 4.9 8.8 ± 3.9 0.56
b
8.5 ± 4.2 8.2 ± 2.7 0.72
b
Glucose, mg/dL 91.1 ± 9.7 93.6 ± 8.2 0.11
a
91.1 ± 9.0 91.9 ± 9.3 0.58
a
HbA1c, % 5.8 ± 0.3 5.8 ± 0.3 0.82
b
5.8 ± 0.3 5.9 ± 0.3 0.12
b
BDNF, pg/mL 4051.7 ± 296.2 4316.1 ± 422.8 0.003
a
4104.2 ± 439.4 4379.1 ± 351.6 0.016
a
IGF-1, ng/mL 152.6 ± 47.9 152.2 ± 48.8 0.72
b
143.0 ± 45.5 137.2 ± 37.4 0.33
b
hsCRP, pg/mL 1.9 ± 2.1 1.8 ± 3.1 0.86
a
2.7 ± 3.4 1.7 ± 1.9 0.09
a
TNF- α, pg/mL 11.3 ± 2.8 9.3 ± 1.4 0.001
b
14.8 ± 14.4 9.8 ± 2.0 0.008
b
Interleukin-6, pg/mL 4.3 ± 4.2 2.4 ± 1.0 0.000
b
6.1 ± 17.0 2.4 ± 0.9 0.008
b
Note: Significant changes are indicated by bolding the number. Data are given as mean ± SD.
CIMT: carotid intima media thickness; PANAS: The positive and negative affect schedule; EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; LDL: low-density
lipoprotein; HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c; BDNF: brain-derived neurotrophic factor; IGF-1: insulin-like growth factor 1; hsCRP: high-sensitive C-reactive protein; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
a
Paired t-test.
b
Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
c
Wilcoxon signed-rank test (change in fish consumption frequency pre- vs. postintervention).
d
Adjusting for changes in PANAS scores did not alter the significant beneficial effect of LC-n3-FA compared with placebo on executive functions (ANCOVA
RM
,P< 0.05).
Figure 3. Changes in executive functions due to 26 weeks of supplementary LC-n3-FA or placebo. (A) Subjects of the LC-n3-FA-group (black, circles) significantly improved in
executive functions compared with controls (dashed, triangles, ANOVA
RM
,P= 0.023, Bonferroni-corrected). (B) Improvements in a subtest of executive functions, that is verbal
fluency, correlated significantly with increases in EPA content in the membranes of erythrocytes after LC-n3-FA supplementation (P= 0.009). Error bars indicate standard error.
**P< 0.01 according to post hoc t-test.
4Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Aging Brain •Witte et al.
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t
(17)
= 1.55, P= 0.14). Changes in performance correlated with
relative changes in DHA after LC-n3-FA supplementation
(r= 0.49, P= 0.041).
For sensorimotor speed, a global retest effect was noticed
that did not differ between groups (composite score,
ANOVA
RM
, time: F
1,63
= 14, P< 0.001). No significant effects
were found for attention (ANOVA
RM
, all P> 0.26).
Changes in Measures of White Matter Integrity
Voxel-wise permutation testing detected that LC-n3-FA sup-
plementation led to significant increases in FA as well as de-
creases in MD and RD, indicating superior white matter
structural integrity (Alexander et al. 2007), within selective
white matter tracts (P< 0.001, TFCE-corrected; see Fig. 4).
Voxels were located in the anterior corpus callosum, the
Figure 4. Regional changes in measures of cortical white matter integrity after 26 weeks of supplementary LC-n3-FA, compared with placebo. LC-n3-FA supplementation induced
significant increases in FA (red), as well as decreases in MD (green) and RD (blue) within selective white matter tracts. These were located in the left hemisphere, that is in the
anterior corpus callosum, in the uncinate fasciculus, and in the inferior-occipital fasciculus, and in the right hemisphere, that is in the superior longitudinal fasciculus and in the
superior and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. Colors indicate significant voxels (P< 0.001, corrected using TFCE), superimposed on a study-specific FA template. Images are
displayed in neurological convention, coordinates according to Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI).
Cerebral Cortex 5
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uncinate fasciculus, and the inferior-occipital fasciculus in
frontal, temporal, and limbic areas of the left hemisphere, and
in the superior longitudinal fasciculus and superior and
inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus within parietal, temporal,
limbic, and occipital areas of the right hemisphere (see
Table 3). No selective effects over time could be observed for
the inverse contrast ( placebo > omega).
Gray Matter Changes
Voxel-wise permutation testing detected a differential effect of
LC-n3-FA supplementation, namely that subjects of this group
showed significant increases in regional GM volume compared
with placebo in the left hippocampus, precuneus, superior
temporal, inferior parietal and postcentral gyri, and in the right
middle temporal gyrus (P< 0.001, TFCE-corrected; Fig. 5;
Table 3). No selective effects over time could be observed for
the inverse contrast ( placebo > LC-n3-FA).
For total GM volume, measured using automated tissue type
segmentation of whole-brain images, subjects of the LC-n3-FA
group did not show the loss of total GM volume over the inter-
vention/placebo period that was noted in the placebo group
(−0.58%, paired t-test, t
(32)
=−2.2, P= 0.037; Fig. 6).
Changes in Vascular Markers
A decrease of left CIMT was noted after LC-n3-FA supplemen-
tation (−4.4%), which reached significance in women only
(paired t-test, t
(14)
= 2.2; P= 0.047). Moreover, subjects of the
LC-n3-FA group showed a significant decrease in diastolic
blood pressure after the intervention (−3.4%, t
(31)
= 2.1,
P= 0.044) that was not observed in controls. For details on vas-
cular parameters, other anthropometric measures, self-
reported physical activity, and mood, please see Table 2.
Changes in Fasting Serum Levels
LC-n3-FA supplementation led to a significant decrease in
fasting triacylglycerides (paired t-test, t
(31)
= 2.8, P= 0.009),
whereas levels of triacyglycerides remained unchanged in the
placebo group. Both groups exhibited higher concentrations
of BDNF and lower levels of inflammatory markers [TNF-αand
IL-6 (all P< 0.016)] and reduced insulin (not significant, all
P> 0.05). For details of serum parameters, please see Table 2.
In the LC-n3-FA group, changes in cognitive performance
were not only associated with increases in omega-3 index, but
also with that in BDNF as well as insulin. Specifically, improve-
ments in executive functions were correlated with relative in-
creases in BDNF (r= 0.46, P= 0.024, Fig. 7A). Improvements in
executive functions and memory consolidation correlated also
with decreases in fasting insulin (executive functions,
r=−0.45, P= 0.01, Fig. 7B; memory consolidation, r=−0.51,
P= 0.032).
Increases in total GM correlated inversely with changes in
fasting insulin (r=−0.48, P= 0.007) and glucose (r=−0.47,
P= 0.009). In addition, improvements in mean FA across the
white matter skeleton correlated with decreases in HbA1c
(r=−0.41, P= 0.03) and diastolic blood pressure (r=−0.38,
P= 0.043).
Discussion
This interventional study demonstrates enhanced executive
functions in healthy older adults after 26 weeks of high levels
of supplementary marine LC-n3-FA, compared with placebo.
In parallel, LC-n3-FA improved white matter microstructural in-
tegrity, GM volume, and vascular parameters. Cognitive im-
provements correlated with increases in omega-3 index and
peripheral BDNF, and with decreases in fasting insulin.
Our findings support previous studies reporting beneficial
effects of LC-n3-FA on cognition (Gomez-Pinilla 2008;Hooij-
mans et al. 2012). For example, a higher omega-3 index corre-
lated with better executive performance (Tan et al. 2012), and
24 weeks of supplementary LC-n3-FA improved executive
functions in schizophrenic patients (Reddy et al. 2011). In con-
trast, a double-blind interventional study in healthy older sub-
jects could not detect specific effects on executive functions
(van de Rest et al. 2008). However, LC-n3-FA intake in that
study (maximum 1800 mg/day; our study: 2200 mg/day)
might not have been sufficient to exert significant effects on
cognition. In addition, our study may differ with regard to
intake instructions or cohort characteristics (smaller MMSE
range, exclusion of brain pathologies by MRI).
Table 3
Brain coordinates of changes in FA, MD and RD, and in GM volume
Contrast: LC-n3-FA > placebo No. of voxels
a
MNI coordinates (hot
voxel)
xyz
Brain area
Frontal lobe, left
Uncinate fasciculus (FA) 27 −22 20 −9
Postcentral cortex (GM) 8 −18 −32 74
Corpus callosum, left
Forceps minor (MD) 5 −726 1
5−824−2
Forceps minor (RD) 8 −726 1
5−823−3
Temporal lobe, left
Superior longitudinal fasciculus (FA) 35 −16 −2−7
Superior longitudinal fasciculus (RD) 76 −30 −5−14
6−41 −29 −8
5−25 −13 −5
Uncinate fasciculus (FA) 43 −34 −1−13
Uncinate fasciculus (RD) 6 −29 7 −11
Superior temporal cortex (GM) 8 −46 −10 −4
Hippocampus (GM) 6 −24 −16 −14
Temporal lobe, right
Superior longitudinal fasciculus (FA) 11 53 −16 30
Superior longitudinal fasciculus (RD) 19 48 −59 12
642−58 18
19 40 −47 14
14 37 −56 9
Inferior longitudinal fasciculus (RD) 7 29 −6−12
540−13 −26
Uncinate fasciculus (RD) 5 22 4 −10
Middle temporal cortex (GM) 10 64 −18 −6
Parietal lobe, right
Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (FA) 73 29 −42 24
Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (RD) 34 32 −40 19
629−47 24
59−48 59
Parietal lobe, left
Inferior parietal cortex (GM) 14 −63 −70 48
Precuneus (GM) 5 −8−54 50
Occipital lobe, right
Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (RD) 11 8 −79 30
24 20 −77 33
Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (FA) 45 13 −82 26
12 18 −84 33
618−84 24
Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (MD) 8 11 −83 27
Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (RD) 21 11 −82 23
12 12 −86 16
P< 0.001, TFCE-corrected.
a
Clusters <5 voxels not shown.
6Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Aging Brain •Witte et al.
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We could not observe significant improvements after
LC-n3-FA on composite memory scores, which is in line with
others (van de Rest et al. 2008). However, in a subgroup of
those subjects adhering best to the intervention, we did find a
trend for better memory consolidation after LC-n3-FA com-
pared with placebo. Positive effects of LC-n3-FA on memory
functions have been reported by interventional trials in healthy
subjects (Yurko-Mauro et al. 2010), and in subgroups of
patients with MCI (Chiu et al. 2008) or mild AD (Freund-Levi
et al. 2006). In addition, epidemiological studies suggested
that higher intake of fish rich in LC-n3-FA may decrease de-
mentia risk (Fotuhi et al. 2009). Thus, with a longer duration of
LC-n3-FA intake, the statistical trend observed in our study for
memory consolidation might have reached significance.
Regarding brain structure, we observed LC-n3-FA-induced
increases in FA and decreases in MD and RD, which can be in-
terpreted as superior microstructural architecture, due to
higher myelination, increased fiber packing density, and
reduced axonal damage (Alexander et al. 2007). Thus, improve-
ments in these measures might be linked to better axonal trans-
mission, and studies reported positive correlations with specific
cognitive skills (Klingberg et al. 2000). LC-n3-FA-induced
microstructural improvements were found in fiber tracts within
the left anterior corpus callosum, which primarily connects
Figure 5. Regional changes of cortical gray matter volume after 26 weeks of supplementary LC-n3-FA, compared with placebo. LC-n3-FA-induced gray matter volume increases
were found in areas within the left hippocampus, precuneus, superior temporal, inferior parietal and postcentral gyri, and in the right middle temporal gyrus. Color bar indicates
significant voxels (P< 0.001, corrected using TFCE), superimposed on a study-specific gray matter template. Images are displayed in neurological convention, coordinates
according to MNI.
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prefrontal areas. Executive functioning in older adults is associ-
ated with bilateral recruitment of lateral prefrontal areas
(Turner and Spreng 2012), and tasks comprising verbal
material are predominantly processed in left-hemispheric net-
works involving frontal, but also temporal, areas (Turken and
Dronkers 2011). Thus, LC-n3-FA-induced improvements in
microstructural architecture within anterior callosal tracts and
within fibers connecting left frontal and temporal areas might
have translated into the behavioral advantages in executive pro-
cessing observed after LC-n3-FA supplementation.
As ventral and dorsal prefrontal cortex is also implicated in
memory selecting and verification processes (Fletcher and
Henson 2001), improved microstructure of connecting fibers
may also exert beneficial effects on memory consolidation.
Moreover, we observed increases in regional GM volume
within core brain regions of episodic memory, for example,
the left hippocampus, precuneus, and temporal areas (Dicker-
son and Eichenbaum 2010), after LC-n3-FA. In a cross-sectional
regions-of-interest analysis, Conklin et al. (2007) likewise ob-
served increased hippocampal GM volume in subjects with
higher LC-n3-FA intake. Regional increases in GM volume have
been suggested to serve as measures of structural plasticity in
the living adult human brain, for example, due to
synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, and/or angiogenesis (Dragans-
ki et al. 2004;Thomas and Baker 2013). Thus, beneficial
effects of LC-n3-FA supplementation on GM within the medial
temporal lobe and precuneus might have led to (marginal) im-
provements in memory functions, at least in those subjects ad-
hering best to the intervention.
Correlations between increases in cognitive performance
and omega-3 index suggest that a better response to the sup-
plementation relates to a larger effect. This might be due to
positive effects of LC-n3-FA on neuronal function, for example,
via enhancement of synaptic membrane fluidity and plasticity
(Cansev and Wurtman 2007;Gomez-Pinilla 2008).In addition,
increased expression of myelin-related proteins in the rat brain
was reported after EPA injection (Salvati et al. 2008), which
points to a more efficient axonal transmission. Stimulation of
myelin synthesis might also explain improved white matter
microstructure after LC-n3-FA, see Song et al. (2002). In
addition, DHA was found to promote neurite outgrowth and
neurogenesis in the hippocampus (Kawakita et al. 2006), and
to increase synaptic membrane areas and the expression of sy-
naptic proteins (Cansev and Wurtman 2007;Gomez-Pinilla
2008). These molecular changes might have led to the ob-
served improvements in memory consolidation and GM
volume, for example, in the hippocampus. Notably, EPA can
be converted into DHA by astrocytes and released into the
extracellular space (Moore et al. 1991).
DHA was also reported to increase hippocampal BDNF in
rats (Wu et al. 2004), and higher BDNF levels have been
linked to larger hippocampal and prefrontal GM volume
(Pezawas et al. 2004) and superior memory (Egan et al.
2003) and executive processing in humans (Rybakowski
et al. 2006). This is in line with our results showing that in-
creases in peripheral BDNF correlated with improved execu-
tive functions after LC-n3-FA; however, peripheral levels may
not adequately reflect central BDNF concentrations. In
addition, we observed an increase in BDNF at postinterven-
tion measurements in both the placebo and LC-n3-FA group,
as well as a decrease in TNF-αand IL-6, which may be due
to potential changes in lifestyle habits such as diet or exer-
cise in both groups. Even though nutrition records and de-
tailed questionnaires at baseline and follow-up did not
actually show significant changes in lifestyle habits in our
subjects, lifestyle measures were only based on self-reported
information and may thus be over- or underestimations.
Figure 6. Global structural changes after 26 weeks of supplementary LC-n3-FA or
placebo. Subjects of the LC-n3-FA-group (black bars) did not show the significant
decrease in total gray matter volume that was observed after placebo (gray striped
bars, paired t-test P= 0.037). Error bars indicate standard error. *P< 0.05.
Figure 7. Correlations of cognitive and structural changes after supplementary LC-n3-FA with changes in fasting serum levels. Increases in executive functions correlated with
changes in BDNF (P= 0.024; A) and with decreases in fasting insulin (P= 0.01; B).
8Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Aging Brain •Witte et al.
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Future studies implementing, for example, physical activity
monitors are needed to address this problem in more detail.
In addition, potential methodological limitations in labora-
tory assessments may have contributed to the observed
changes in peripheral parameters.
In addition, global measures of total GM volumes suggested
an overall protective effect of omega-3 compared with
placebo. Several cross-sectional studies in normal aging de-
monstrate a significant GM volume loss over time, starting in
the second decade of life, which regionally magnifies in older
age (Good et al. 2001;Jernigan et al. 2001;Walhovd et al.
2005). In the study by Walhovd et al. (2005), a linear cortical
volume loss of 26% was suggested from the year 20 to 90,
which refers to approximately 0.4% volume loss every year.
Longitudinal studies so far even reported greater volume loss
than the estimates based on cross-sectional studies, for
example, 0.8% for the striatum every year (caudate nucleus;
Raz et al. 2003), and 0.8% for the hippocampus after 6 months
(control group, left hippocampus; Erickson et al. 2011). Taken
together, the observed approximately 0.5% loss of total GM
volume in the placebo group over the course of 6 months most
likely represent “normal”aging effects. Notably, improvements
in both cognitive performance and total GM volume correlated
with decreases in fasting insulin and glucose in the LC-n3-FA
group. This may be caused by higher peripheral and central
insulin sensitivity due to LC-n3-FA (e.g., via fatty acid oxi-
dation; Agrawal and Gomez-Pinilla 2012), leading to improved
insulin-related signaling in the brain and in turn to enhanced
cognitive processing (Zhao et al. 2004).
In line with cross-sectional results (Sekikawa et al. 2011),
LC-n3-FA led to reductions in diastolic blood pressure and
CIMT in women, underlining antiatherogenic and antiinflam-
matory effects of LC-n3-FA, for example, via up-regulation of
adiponectin or reduction of proinflammatory cytokines
(Fotuhi et al. 2009). These neuroprotective pathways (Agrawal
and Gomez-Pinilla 2012) may have additionally contributed
to our results. CIMT measurements demonstrated a CIMT
reduction in women, only significant for the left side which
might indicate a need for longer observation times.
Study limitations include the number of subjects and inter-
vention length. This might account for marginal effects only on
memory functions. With a larger sample size and thus greater
statistical power, we may have observed significant group-
specific effects on memory performance, similar to what we
found for executive functions in our cohort. Additionally,
changes in structural MR signals may be due several factors,
which cannot be fully differentiated in noninvasive studies.
Yet, we conducted a full longitudinal analysis stream with
placebo-controlled contrasts, and the regional extent of
LC-n3-FA-induced changes in FA, MD, and RD did largely
overlap, which strengthens the assumption of specific effects
(Thomas and Baker 2013). In addition, 5 subjects of the
LC-n3-PUFA group noted (fishy) burps following capsule
intake in the postevaluation questionnaire, which may have
influenced blinding.
The current results provide experimental evidence that
marine LC-n3-FA improve executive functions, white matter
microstructure, GM volume, and vascular markers in older
adults. Cognitive improvements correlated with increases in
omega-3-index, BDNF, and with decreases in fasting insulin,
underlining positive effects of EPA and DHA on neuronal func-
tioning as postulated by animal experiments. These findings
may help to develop new prevention and treatment strategies
for maintaining cognitive health into older age.
Supplementary Material
Supplementary material can be found at: http://www.cercor.
oxfordjournals.org/.
Funding
This work was supported by grants from the Deutsche For-
schungsgemeinschaft (Fl 379-8/1, Fl 379-10/1; and DFG-Exc
257), the Else-Kröner Fresenius Stiftung (2009-141; 2011-119),
and the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (FKZ
0315673A, 01EO0801, 01 GY 1144).
Notes
We thank Johanna Richels for help with data acquisition. Conflict of In-
terest: None declared.
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