| Docosahexaenoic acid homeostasis, brain aging and Alzheimer's disease: Can we reconcile the evidence? | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 22575581 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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A crossroads has been reached on research into docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). On the one hand, several prospective observational studies now clearly indicate a protective effect of higher fish and DHA intake against risk of AD. On the other hand, once AD is clinically evident, supplementation trials demonstrate essentially no benefit of DHA in AD. Despite apparently low DHA intake in AD, brain DHA levels are frequently the same as in controls, suggesting that low DHA intake results in low plasma DHA but does not necessarily reduce brain DHA in humans. Animal models involving dietary omega-3 fatty acid deficiency to deplete brain DHA may therefore not be appropriate in AD research. Studies in the healthy elderly suggest that DHA homeostasis changes during aging. Tracer methodology now permits estimation of DHA half-life in the human brain and whole body. Apolipoprotein E alleles have an important impact not only on AD but also on DHA homeostasis in humans. We therefore encourage further development of innovative approaches to the study of DHA metabolism and its role in human brain function. A better understanding of DHA metabolism in humans will hopefully help explain how higher habitual DHA intake protects against the risk of deteriorating cognition during aging and may eventually give rise to a breakthrough in the treatment of AD. |
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Authors:
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Stephen C Cunnane; Raphael Chouinard-Watkins; Christian A Castellano; Pascale Barberger-Gateau |
Publication Detail:
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Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2012-5-8 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids Volume: - ISSN: 1532-2823 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2012 May |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2012-5-11 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8802730 Medline TA: Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids Country: - |
Other Details:
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Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: - |
Copyright Information:
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Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Affiliation:
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Research Center on Aging, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada; Departments of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada; Physiology and Biophysics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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