HOW DO OMEGA SUPPORT BRAIN HEALTH IN CHILDREN?

Omega-3 and cognition

A new study, published in the July issue of the Journal of Food Biochemistry, found a strong correlation between the level of omega-3 in the blood, especially DHA, and better brain function in children aged 2-6 years.

The children passed a number of age-appropriate cognitive function tests. In particular, the task of sorting cards with changing sizes (DCCS) was used to assess executive function.

The DCCS asks the child to sort a series of two-valent cards based on one of two specified parameters (ie, either color or shape). After sorting the initial series of eight cards by color, the child is offered to change the categorization size and sort another series of eight cards by shape.

This spatial change in sorting behavior provides an index of executive function, since the child must suppress his previously learned set of rules (for example, sorting by color) and the inertia of attention in relation to these attributes in order to flexibly adjust his behavioral actions and attention for sorting cards. according to a new set of rules (i.e. sorting by form).

The average Omega-3 index in this group was 4.6% with a range from 2.3% to 11.7%. Significant differences in the average % of the total content of fatty acids in whole blood observed between children who could not follow the instructions of the DCCS test (50% of the sample) and subjects who could (50% of the sample).

Children with the highest levels of total omega-3 and DHA were three and four times, respectively, more likely to pass at least one condition of the DCCS executive function test than children with the lowest levels.

This study has several strengths. First of all, he used an objective biomarker to assess dietary fatty acid intake (ie, the omega-3 index), unlike other traditional and less accurate methods, such as food frequency questionnaires or diet history methods. Food frequency questionnaires are not very accurate in assessing the level of fatty acids in the circulating blood.

The authors concluded that these results served as "an incentive for further research into possible interventions to improve the status of essential fatty acids in children in developing countries."

One of the researchers of the study, Dr. Bill Harris, and co-author of the omega-3 index test, said that the results are very encouraging for these children, who are probably at a disadvantage when it comes to omega-3. consumption

"Children in developing countries, such as Ghana, do not have access to sources rich in omega-3, unlike children in other parts of the world. It has several branches, especially in the area of ​​brain development and cognitive functions.

We were glad to see a positive correlation between omega-3 levels and better brain function, especially since omega-3 deficiency is so easily corrected. All that is required is to consume more of the right omega-3s, especially DHA, which in this case was the outstanding fatty acid.”

Omega-3 and behavior

A second recent study found that something as simple as an omega-3 supplement can reduce disruptive and even abusive behavior among parents of children with behavioral problems. Parents claim that this positive change in their children's behavior has made them less likely to argue with each other or engage in verbal abuse.

ScienceDaily, which reported on the study, says that this new study is just one example of how researchers are studying biological and social factors that can help explain and predict impulsive and risky behavior. The goal, according to lead researcher Jill Portnoy, is to help identify effective ways to intervene before antisocial behavior turns into a crime.

Over the course of a year, more than 200 children received either a snack enriched with 1 gram of omega-3 (EPA and DHA) or a placebo drink. Throughout the study, parents were asked to report on their child's behavior, as well as their own psychological aggression caused by their child's bad behavior.

The original study reported that the treatment improved the children's behavior, while the latest study focused on the parents' relationship. Improvements in psychological aggression in adults were directly related to improvements in externalizing behavior in children, making this the first study to show that omega-3 supplementation in children can reduce psychological aggression between partners among adults not receiving supplementation.

"These results show that improving children's behavior with the help of omega-3 supplements can have long-term benefits for the family system as a whole," say the researchers.

Omega-3 and Intelligence

Earlier studies have shown that EPA and DHA play important roles in a child’s developing brain, which extends well into childhood. In fact, several studies have linked pregnant women’s consumption of fish or fish oil to their children’s higher scores on intelligence and brain tests in early childhood.

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In fact, a recent Norwegian study found that a baby’s problem-solving ability at age 1 was directly linked to the level of DHA in their mother’s blood when she was pregnant.

Of course, while eating fish is the best way to get omega-3 fatty acids, pregnant women should proceed with caution, with some studies strongly recommending eating fish but looking for low-mercury foods like salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines.

Omega-3s and brain injury

Taking another look at omega-3s and the brain, a research review published in January this year found that these fatty acids may play a protective role when taken before brain injuries, such as those sustained during sports.

“While much of the focus has been on the treatment of sports-related concussion, there is growing interest in pre-impact protection. Nutritional supplements have emerged as a potential strategy to prevent and/or reduce the detrimental effects of sports-related concussion and impact,” the study says. “Unlike pharmaceutical treatments, nutrients (creatine and omega-3) and nutraceuticals (curcumin) may target multiple mechanisms within the complex neurochemical and neurometabolic sequelae that occur following concussion and sub-concussion.”

Omega-3s and Depression

A Harvard Health blog post published last week suggests that children and adolescents with depression may benefit from omega-3 supplements, especially in the long term. That’s the premise of a large study underway at Harvard to see if omega-3 supplements (alone or in combination with vitamin D) can prevent depression in healthy older adults.

Omega-3 and brain health is currently one of the most active areas of research, with more positive results to come. So stay tuned!