TY - JOUR
T1 - Associations between Serum Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels and Cognitive Functions among Community-Dwelling Octogenarians in Okinawa, Japan
T2 - The KOCOA Study
AU - Nishihira, Junko
AU - Tokashiki, Takashi
AU - Higashiuesato, Yasushi
AU - Willcox, Donald Craig
AU - Mattek, Nora
AU - Shinto, Lynne
AU - Ohya, Yusuke
AU - Dodge, Hiroko H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/3/30
Y1 - 2016/3/30
N2 - Background: Epidemiological studies have found frequent consumption of fatty fish is protective against cognitive decline. However, the association between circulating omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and cognitive functions among the oldest old is not well known. Objective: To examine the association between serum PUFA levels and cognitive function among community-dwelling, non-demented elderly aged over 80 years old. Methods: The data came from the Keys to Optimal Cognitive Aging (KOCOA) study; an ongoing cohort of relatively healthy volunteers aged over 80 years old, living in Okinawa, Japan. One hundred eighty five participants (mean age 84.1±3.4 years) assessed in 2011 who were free from frank dementia (defined as Clinical Dementia Rating < 1.0) were used for the current cross-sectional study. We examined whether serum omega-3 PUFAs (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]), arachidonic acid (AA), EPA/AA ratio, DHA/AA ratio, and DHA+EPA are associated with (1) age and (2) global cognitive function (Japanese MMSE) and executive function (Verbal Fluency Letter). Data was analyzed univariately by t-test and multivariately by cumulative logistic regression models controlling for age, gender, years of education, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Results: Serum DHA levels decreased with increasing age (p = 0.04). Higher global cognitive function was associated with higher levels of serum EPA (p = 0.03) and DHA+ EPA (p = 0.03) after controlling for confounders. Conclusions: Higher serum EPA and DHA+ EPA levels were independently associated with better scores on global cognitive function among the oldest old, free from dementia. Longitudinal follow-up studies are warranted.
AB - Background: Epidemiological studies have found frequent consumption of fatty fish is protective against cognitive decline. However, the association between circulating omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and cognitive functions among the oldest old is not well known. Objective: To examine the association between serum PUFA levels and cognitive function among community-dwelling, non-demented elderly aged over 80 years old. Methods: The data came from the Keys to Optimal Cognitive Aging (KOCOA) study; an ongoing cohort of relatively healthy volunteers aged over 80 years old, living in Okinawa, Japan. One hundred eighty five participants (mean age 84.1±3.4 years) assessed in 2011 who were free from frank dementia (defined as Clinical Dementia Rating < 1.0) were used for the current cross-sectional study. We examined whether serum omega-3 PUFAs (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]), arachidonic acid (AA), EPA/AA ratio, DHA/AA ratio, and DHA+EPA are associated with (1) age and (2) global cognitive function (Japanese MMSE) and executive function (Verbal Fluency Letter). Data was analyzed univariately by t-test and multivariately by cumulative logistic regression models controlling for age, gender, years of education, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Results: Serum DHA levels decreased with increasing age (p = 0.04). Higher global cognitive function was associated with higher levels of serum EPA (p = 0.03) and DHA+ EPA (p = 0.03) after controlling for confounders. Conclusions: Higher serum EPA and DHA+ EPA levels were independently associated with better scores on global cognitive function among the oldest old, free from dementia. Longitudinal follow-up studies are warranted.
KW - Cognitive function
KW - DHA
KW - EPA
KW - KOCOA
KW - Okinawa
KW - PUFA
KW - non-demented subjects
KW - oldest old
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U2 - 10.3233/JAD-150910
DO - 10.3233/JAD-150910
M3 - Article
C2 - 26890763
AN - SCOPUS:84963748890
SN - 1387-2877
VL - 51
SP - 857
EP - 866
JO - Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
JF - Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
IS - 3
ER -