Another Benefit of a Diet Including Fish

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     A new study released supports the idea that fish, especially those rich in omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial for the brain and brain functions. Experts have long speculated that omega 3 fatty acids may reduce the inflammation of the brain and play a role in brain development and nerve cell regeneration and have other brain-boosting effects. This new study from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, however, takes this hypothesis one step further by surmising that consuming non-fried (baked or broiled) fish can battle against the brain shrinkage and cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s.
     To arrive at this conclusion, researchers tracked 260 adults with normal cognitive function for a time of ten years. They used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain volume and memory function of each of the 260 participants both at the beginning and end of the analysis. Based on responses from a questionnaire, 163 of the participants consumed fish on a weekly basis, with the majority of the 163 eating fish one to four times each week.
     The findings showed subjects who consumed more fish had better memory function and larger brain areas, including the posterior cingulated cortex and the orbital frontal cortex, as well as the hippocampus even when considering other factors such as education, age, gender and physical activity. These results are especially important because the hippocampus is known to shrink in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
     Furthermore, it seems as though people with larger brain volume saw risk for Alzheimer’s decrease by fivefold within five years after the brain scans in this study took place. Not a fish lover?—No problem as the benefit was seen among those who only consumed fish as little as one to four times a week!
     According to the president of the Campaign to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by 2020, the study results do lend support to the idea that there is a “possible beneficial effect of diet rich in fish ingredients, ” however, as promising as the results may be, it is important to remember these finding don’t definitively prove that eating fish will prevent Alzheimer’s.