TY - JOUR
T1 - Erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acids are inversely associated with incident dementia
T2 - Secondary analyses of longitudinal data from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS)
AU - Ammann, Eric M.
AU - Pottala, James V.
AU - Robinson, Jennifer G.
AU - Espeland, Mark A.
AU - Harris, William S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2017/6
Y1 - 2017/6
N2 - Objective To assess whether red blood cell (RBC) docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA+EPA) levels have a protective association with the risk of dementia in older women. Methods RBC DHA+EPA levels were assessed at baseline, and cognitive status was evaluated annually in a cohort of 6706 women aged ≥65 years who participated in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). Cox regression was used to quantify the association between RBC DHA+EPA and the risk of probable dementia, independent of major dementia risk factors. Results During a median follow-up period of 9.8 years, 587 incident cases of probable dementia were identified. After adjusting for demographic, clinical, and behavioral risk factors, a one standard deviation increase in DHA+EPA levels was associated with a significantly lower risk of dementia (HR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.84, 1.00; p < 0.05). This effect estimate did not meaningfully change after further adjustment for baseline cognitive function and APOE genotype. For women with high DHA+EPA exposure (1 SD above mean) compared to low exposure (1 SD below mean), the adjusted 15-year absolute risk difference for dementia was 2.1% (95% CI: 0.2%, 4.0%). In secondary analyses, we also observed a protective association with longitudinal change in Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) Exam scores, but no significant association with incident MCI, PD/MCI, or baseline 3MS scores. Discussion Higher levels of DHA+EPA may help protect against the development of dementia. Results from prospective randomized controlled trials of DHA+EPA supplementation are needed to help clarify whether this association is causal.
AB - Objective To assess whether red blood cell (RBC) docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA+EPA) levels have a protective association with the risk of dementia in older women. Methods RBC DHA+EPA levels were assessed at baseline, and cognitive status was evaluated annually in a cohort of 6706 women aged ≥65 years who participated in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). Cox regression was used to quantify the association between RBC DHA+EPA and the risk of probable dementia, independent of major dementia risk factors. Results During a median follow-up period of 9.8 years, 587 incident cases of probable dementia were identified. After adjusting for demographic, clinical, and behavioral risk factors, a one standard deviation increase in DHA+EPA levels was associated with a significantly lower risk of dementia (HR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.84, 1.00; p < 0.05). This effect estimate did not meaningfully change after further adjustment for baseline cognitive function and APOE genotype. For women with high DHA+EPA exposure (1 SD above mean) compared to low exposure (1 SD below mean), the adjusted 15-year absolute risk difference for dementia was 2.1% (95% CI: 0.2%, 4.0%). In secondary analyses, we also observed a protective association with longitudinal change in Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) Exam scores, but no significant association with incident MCI, PD/MCI, or baseline 3MS scores. Discussion Higher levels of DHA+EPA may help protect against the development of dementia. Results from prospective randomized controlled trials of DHA+EPA supplementation are needed to help clarify whether this association is causal.
KW - All cognitive disorders/dementia
KW - Alzheimer's Disease
KW - Biomarkers
KW - Cohort studies
KW - Omega-3 fatty acids
KW - Women
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U2 - 10.1016/j.plefa.2017.06.006
DO - 10.1016/j.plefa.2017.06.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 28651700
AN - SCOPUS:85021062316
SN - 0952-3278
VL - 121
SP - 68
EP - 75
JO - Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids
JF - Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids
ER -