The DOI matches its Crossref record; 260 of the 260 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Omega-3 fatty acids and brain resistance to ageing and stress: Body of evidence and possible mechanisms
Abstract
The increasing life expectancy in the populations of rich countries raises the pressing question of how the elderly can maintain their cognitive function. Cognitive decline is characterised by the loss of short-term memory due to a progressive impairment of the underlying brain cell processes. Age-related brain damage has many causes, some of which may be influenced by diet. An optimal diet may therefore be a practical way of delaying the onset of age-related cognitive decline. Nutritional investigations indicate that the ω-3 poyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content of western diets is too low to provide the brain with an optimal supply of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the main ω-3 PUFA in cell membranes. Insufficient brain DHA has been associated with memory impairment, emotional disturbances and altered brain processes in rodents. Human studies suggest that an adequate dietary intake of ω-3 PUFA can slow the age-related cognitive decline and may also protect against the risk of senile dementia. However, despite the many studies in this domain, the beneficial impact of ω-3 PUFA on brain function has only recently been linked to specific mechanisms. This review examines the hypothesis that an optimal brain DHA status, conferred by an adequate ω-3 PUFA intake, limits age-related brain damage by optimizing endogenous brain repair mechanisms. Our analysis of the abundant literature indicates that an adequate amount of DHA in the brain may limit the impact of stress, an important age-aggravating factor, and influences the neuronal and astroglial functions that govern and protect synaptic transmission. This transmission, particularly glutamatergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus, underlies memory formation. The brain DHA status also influences neurogenesis, nested in the hippocampus, which helps maintain cognitive function throughout life. Although there are still gaps in our knowledge of the way ω-3 PUFA act, the mechanistic studies reviewed here indicate that ω-3 PUFA may be a promising tool for preventing age-related brain deterioration.
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“The benefits of ω-3 (n-3) fatty acids for central functioning range from enhanced memory, mood, attention, and cognitive performance to a reduced risk of developing depression and regulation of stress sensitivity (131-138).”
From Diet and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health (2021) · cites this paper as [136]
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Diet and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health
Berding, K., Vlckova, K., Marx, W., Schellekens, H., Stanton, C., Clarke, G., Jacka, F., Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F. (2021) · Advances in Nutrition · doi:10.1093/advances/nmaa181 · Cited by 451
Pharmacology and therapeutics of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in chronic inflammatory disease
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Sun, G. Y., Simonyi, Á., Fritsche, K. L., Chuang, D. Y., Hannink, M., Gu, Z., Greenlief, C. M., Yao, J. K., Lee, J. C., & Beversdorf, D. Q. (2017) · Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids · doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2017.03.006 · Cited by 324
Natural Compounds and Products from an Anti-Aging Perspective
Bjørklund, G., Shanaida, M., Lysiuk, R., Butnariu, M., Peana, M., Sărac, I., Strus, O., Smetanina, K., & Chirumbolo, S. (2022) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules27207084 · Cited by 234
Metadata
- Authors
- Denis, I., Potier, B., Vancassel, S., Heberden, C., & Lavialle, M.
- Affiliations
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (FR)
- Inserm (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Denis, I.
- Venue
- Ageing Research Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-03
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 579-594
- ISSN
- 1568-1637 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2119356619
- Cited by
- 150
- References
- 260
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 1.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ageing Research Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Keywords
- omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, brain aging, cognitive decline, stress, hippocampus, glutamatergic neurotransmission, neurogenesis, synaptic transmission, memory, senile dementia
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aging, Animals, Cognition, Cognition Disorders, Docosahexaenoic Acids, Hippocampus, Humans, Memory, Short-Term, Synaptic Transmission, Stress, Physiological, Stress, Psychological, Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Neuroprotective Agents, Dietary Supplements
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