September 9, 2004 – Researchers have long suspected that environmental factors could influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease. For the first time, a biological link between diet and Alzheimer’s disease has been demonstrated thanks to a Quebec researcher whose study has just been published in the journal Neuron1.
Today professor of pharmacy at Laval University, Dr Frédéric Calon did his post-doctoral studies at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). In a study he and his colleagues at UCLA performed, they found that low intake of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet worsened Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice.
Until now, there had only been epidemiological studies on the role of diet on this neurodegenerative disease, as well as some research on mice, which had proved to be inconclusive.
However, the results of the study were so marked that they surprised the Dr Calon himself. The effect of omega-3s was so strong that it greatly hampered the progression of the disease. In addition, the brains of mice that ate little omega-3 contained all the pathological signs linked to Alzheimer’s disease and behavioral tests confirmed the diagnosis.
To assess the memory of the mice, they were put in a pool of water with a platform. Mice with intact memory climbed onto the platform with each test, while sick mice did not find it and had to be picked up by researchers on occasions to avoid drowning.
As Dr Calon at PasseportSanté.net, it is still too early to recommend the use of omega-3s to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease. “Clinical studies underway in Canada and the United States will attempt to elucidate the role of DHA and other omega-3s in the prevention of this disease,” he said. It is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that would be the most protective and it is more present in fish and algae than in so-called “omega-3” foods, such as eggs, or in supplements.
Given the low risk of high consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and its protective effects against other diseases, Dr Calon believes that “we must avoid finding ourselves in a situation of deficiency”. However, he believes that older people with a genetic predisposition for the disease should eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Marie france Coutu – PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters and Press.
1. Calon F, Lim GP, Yang F, Morihara T, Teter B, et al, Docosahexaenoic Acid Protects from Dendritic Pathology in an Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model, Neuron, 2004, Vol. 43, 633-45. To access the summary of the study: www.neuron.org [Consulté le 8 septembre 2004].
