title: The n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Supplementation Improved the Cognitive Function in the Chinese Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intake ofn-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) may protect against mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, there is still a lack of then-3 PUFAs intervention in the elderly with MCI in China. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect ofn-3 PUFA supplementation on cognitive function in the Chinese elderly with MCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty six MCI individuals aged 60 years or older were randomly assigned to receive eithern-3 PUFAs (480 mg DHA and 720 mg EPA per day,n= 44) or placebo (olive oil,n= 42) capsules. The changes of cognitive functions were assessed using Basic Cognitive Aptitude Tests (BCAT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of participants was 71 years old, and 59% of the participants were men.n-3 PUFA supplementation was associated with improved total BCAT scores, perceptual speed, space imagery efficiency, and working memory (p< 0.01), but not with mental arithmetic efficiency or recognition memory (p> 0.05). Subgroup analysis by sex showed thatn-3 PUFAs significantly improved perceptual speed (p= 0.001), space imagery efficiency (p= 0.013), working memory (p= 0.018), and total BCAT scores (p= 0.000) in males. However, in females, the significant beneficial effects can only be observed in perceptual speed (p= 0.027), space imagery efficiency (p= 0.006), and total BCAT scores (p= 0.015)-not working memory (p= 0.113).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  n-3 PUFAs can improve cognitive function in people with MCI. Further studies with different fish oil dosages, longer intervention periods, and larger sample sizes should be investigated before definite recommendations can be made.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. boyacong@163.com.
authors.forename: Yacong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. qiu_contribution@163.com.
authors.forename: Xueyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of China Pingmei Shenma Group, Pingdingshan 467000, China. 15188318679@139.com.
authors.forename: Youli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. zzu_youjie@126.com.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. 1zhuxic@126.com.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. yiwei0726@163.com.
authors.forename: Yiwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environment Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China. hnyl2001@126.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environment Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China. zhu412825@126.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environment Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China. jyg1967@126.com.
authors.forename: Yugang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. lqjnutr@zzu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Quanjun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008084:Lipoxygenase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000097:blood; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D008084:Lipoxygenase; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D054467:Phospholipases A2
keywords: basic cognitive aptitude tests; cognition; elderly; mild cognitive impairment; n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids