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DHA supplementation improves cognitive function via enhancing Aβ-mediated autophagy in Chinese elderly with mild cognitive impairment: a randomised placebo-controlled trial
Zhang YP, Lou Y, Hu J, Miao R, Ma F.. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2017-11-15
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Background Higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake is inversely correlated with relative risk of Alzheimer's disease. The potential benefits of DHA supplementation in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have not been fully examined. Objective Our study aimed to assess the effect of a 24-month DHA supplementation on cognitive function and amyloid beta (Aβ)-mediated autophagy in elderly subjects with MCI. Methods This was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Tianjin, China. A total of 240 individuals with MCI were identified and randomly divided into intervention (DHA 2 g/day, n=120) and control (corn oil as placebo, n=120) groups. Cognitive function and blood Aβ-related biomarkers were measured at baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Data were analysed using generalised estimating equation. Results A total of 217 participants (DHA: 109, placebo: 108) completed the trial. During the follow-up, scores of full-scale IQ, verbal IQ and subdomains of information and digit span were significantly higher in the intervention group than the convention group (p<0.05). In the intervention group, blood Aβ-42 level and expression of Aβ protein precursor mRNA were decreased (p<0.05), while Beclin-1 and LC3-II levels and expression of LC3-II mRNA were increased (p<0.05). Conclusion Daily oral DHA supplementation (2 g/day) for 24 months may improve cognitive function and change blood biomarker-related Aβ-mediated autophagy in people with MCI. Larger longer-term confirmatory studies are warranted. Trial registration number ChiCTR-IOR-15006058.
Key findings
- Results A total of 217 participants (DHA: 109, placebo: 108) completed the trial.
- During the follow-up, scores of full-scale IQ, verbal IQ and subdomains of information and digit span were significantly higher in the intervention group than the convention group (p<0.05).
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Study details
- Participants120
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 76/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 44 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 76 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 120 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29142143) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 44 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 44 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 76 out of 100. |
| Total | 76 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Zhang, Y. P., Lou, Y., Hu, J., Miao, R., & Ma, F. (2018). DHA supplementation improves cognitive function via enhancing Aβ-mediated autophagy in Chinese elderly with mild cognitive impairment: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2017-316176
Vancouver
Zhang YP, Lou Y, Hu J, Miao R, Ma F. DHA supplementation improves cognitive function via enhancing Aβ-mediated autophagy in Chinese elderly with mild cognitive impairment: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2018. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2017-316176. PMID: 29142143.
BibTeX
@article{zhang2018-29142143,
author = {Zhang, Y. P. and Lou, Y. and Hu, J. and Miao, R. and Ma, F.},
title = {{DHA supplementation improves cognitive function via enhancing Aβ-mediated autophagy in Chinese elderly with mild cognitive impairment: a randomised placebo-controlled trial}},
journal = {Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1136/jnnp-2017-316176},
pmid = {29142143},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2017-316176}
}
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