Omega-3 linked to lower amyloid plaque levels

In a journal Neurology study of more than 1,200 cognitively normal individuals older than 65, higher omega-3 fatty acid intake was significantly predictive of lower plasma levels of the 40- and 42-residue forms of beta-amyloid protein (AB40 and AB42, respectively). The same researchers had previously published results indicating that a Mediterranean-type diet was associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Because one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is beta-amyloid plaque deposits in the brain, they sought to determine if dietary factors were related to blood levels of AB40 and AB4.