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American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias logoLink to American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
. 2010 Sep;25(6):479–482. doi: 10.1177/1533317510376943

Review: Omega-3 and Memory Function: To Eat or Not To Eat

Imose Itua 1, Ebrahim K Naderali 2
PMCID: PMC10845707  PMID: 20702502

Abstract

At present it is estimated that 25% of the population older than 85 years have significant cognitive impairment. The global prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia including Alzheimer’s disease is expected to rise significantly in proportion to increased life expectancy. Deterioration of memory function and ultimately establishment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) severely debilitates the affected individual, uncompromisingly decreasing the quality of life of both affected patients and their care givers. Moreover, the cost of providing adequate care to patients with AD is a significant burden to both family and the health care providers. Therefore, various attempts have been made to identify means of either delaying the onset of cognitive impairment or improving memory function in patients affected by AD. Among a number of participants, importance of dietary fatty acids in particular omega-3 based fatty acids have gained significant momentum. This article aims to review published evidences for the role of omega-3 in memory function.

Keywords: cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, dietary fatty acids, omega-3, docosahexaenoic acid

Full Text

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Contributor Information

Imose Itua, Department of Health and Applied Social Sciences, Liverpool Hope University, Hope Park, Liverpool, UK, naderae@hope.ac.uk .

Ebrahim K. Naderali, Department of Health and Applied Social Sciences, Liverpool Hope University, Hope Park, Liverpool, UK.

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