Journal article
Erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acids are inversely associated with incident dementia: Secondary analyses of longitudinal data from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS)
Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, Vol.121, pp.68-75
06/2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2017.06.006
PMCID: PMC5564209
PMID: 28651700
Abstract
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.
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.
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 (1SD above mean) compared to low exposure (1SD 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.
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.
•We examined the association between erythrocyte EPA+DHA and risk for incident dementia in 6706 women in the USA.•We found a significant, 8% decreased risk over 10 years for probable dementia associated with a 1-SD increase in EPA+DHA.•This large study confirms previous research suggesting that higher EPA+DHA levels may be protective against dementia.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acids are inversely associated with incident dementia: Secondary analyses of longitudinal data from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS)
- Creators
- Eric M Ammann - Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA, USAJames V Pottala - Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USAJennifer G Robinson - Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA, USAMark A Espeland - Department of Biostatistical Services, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USAWilliam S Harris - Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, Vol.121, pp.68-75
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.plefa.2017.06.006
- PMID
- 28651700
- PMCID
- PMC5564209
- NLM abbreviation
- Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids
- ISSN
- 0952-3278
- eISSN
- 1532-2823
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000050, name: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2017
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9983995056502771
Metrics
16 Record Views