title: n 3 fatty acid proportions in plasma and cognitive performance in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Very-long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are suggested to be related to cognitive performance in older adults. However, limited data exist on the association between n-3 PUFAs and performance in specific cognitive domains.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the association between plasma n-3 PUFA proportions and cognitive performance in 5 cognitive domains and determined whether plasma n-3 PUFA proportions predict cognitive change over 3 y.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the FACIT trial, in which participants received folic acid or placebo capsules for 3 y. Fatty acid proportions in plasma cholesteryl esters at baseline were measured in 807 men and women aged 50-70 y. Cognitive performance for memory, sensorimotor speed, complex speed, information-processing speed, and word fluency was assessed at baseline and after 3 y. The cross-sectional analyses were based on all 807 participants; the longitudinal analyses were based only on 404 participants in the placebo group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher plasma n-3 PUFA proportions predicted less decline in sensorimotor speed (multiple linear regression coefficient, z score = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.57) and complex speed (0.40; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.70) over 3 y. Plasma n-3 PUFA proportions did not predict 3-y changes in memory, information-processing speed, or word fluency. The cross-sectional analyses showed no association between plasma n-3 PUFA proportions and performance in any of the 5 cognitive domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population, plasma n-3 PUFA proportions were associated with less decline in the speed-related cognitive domains over 3 y. These results need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences, Wageningen, Netherlands. carla.dullemeijer@wur.nl
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dullemeijer
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durga
authors.forename: Ingeborg A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: Ondine
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: van de Rest
authors.forename: Frans J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Robert-Jan M
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Brummer
authors.forename: Martin Pj
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van Boxtel
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verhoef
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3