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63/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 63 out of 100. Mild cognitive impairment

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Plain-language summary

Rationale Epidemiological studies have suggested a beneficial effect of fish oil supplementation in halting the initial progression of Alzheimer's disease. However, it remains unclear whether fish oil affects cognitive function in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Objectives This study investigated the effects of fish oil supplementation on cognitive function in elderly person with MCI. Methods This was a 12-month, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study using fish oil supplementation with concentrated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Thirty six low-socioeconomic-status elderly subjects with MCI were randomly assigned to receive either concentrated DHA fish oil (n = 18) or placebo (n = 18) capsules. The changes of memory, psychomotor speed, executive function and attention, and visual-constructive skills were assessed using cognitive tests. Secondary outcomes were safety and tolerability of the DHA concentrate. Results The fish oil group showed significant improvement in short-term and working memory (F = 9.890; ηp (2) = 0.254; p Conclusions This study suggested the potential role of fish oil to improve memory function in MCI subjects. Studies with larger sample sizes, longer intervention periods, different fish oil dosages and genetic determinations should be investigated before definite recommendations can be made.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Lee, L. K., Shahar, S., Chin, A. V., & Yusoff, N. A. (2013). Docosahexaenoic acid-concentrated fish oil supplementation in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI): a 12-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2848-0

Vancouver

Lee LK, Shahar S, Chin AV, Yusoff NA. Docosahexaenoic acid-concentrated fish oil supplementation in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI): a 12-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology. 2013. doi:10.1007/s00213-012-2848-0. PMID: 22932777.

BibTeX

@article{lee2013-22932777,
  author  = {Lee, L. K. and Shahar, S. and Chin, A. V. and Yusoff, N. A.},
  title   = {{Docosahexaenoic acid-concentrated fish oil supplementation in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI): a 12-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial}},
  journal = {Psychopharmacology},
  year    = {2013},
  doi     = {10.1007/s00213-012-2848-0},
  pmid    = {22932777},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2848-0}
}

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How to read this study

Design: this is a trial. Participants are assigned to a treatment or a comparison, so the key questions are who was enrolled, whether the comparison group got a placebo or nothing, how long people were followed, and whether the result is on a measure that matters to patients or on a biomarker. Open-label and small trials can overstate benefit.
Size: the record lists 18 participants. Ask whether that is enough for the question, and who they were.
Effect: the record gives no effect size, so the summary above cannot say how large any difference was.

What the evidence grade means here

This page is graded high. alzhub.org assigns the grade automatically from keywords in the abstract, not from reading the paper. High means the abstract mentions a randomized design, a meta-analysis or a systematic review. It can add at most 5 of the 100 points in the study score, and it is a label about design, not a verdict on whether the findings are true.

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Key findings

Results The fish oil group showed significant improvement in short-term and working memory (F = 9.890; ηp (2) = 0.254; p Conclusions This study suggested the potential role of fish oil to improve memory function in MCI subjects.

Why it matters

In this 12-month randomized trial of 36 people with mild cognitive impairment, the fish oil group showed significant improvement in short-term and working memory. The authors say larger studies with longer periods and different doses are needed before definite recommendations can be made, so this is a preliminary finding about memory, not a proven treatment or prevention.

Study details

Participants18
Evidence strengthHigh

How this study scored 63/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomized controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Psychopharmacology)
Journal's citation record	3 / 4	Psychopharmacology: journal h-index 287 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	11 / 12	A randomized 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	1 / 5	2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	1 / 4	18 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)
Randomized / blinded	2 / 2	Randomized and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record)
Times cited	5 / 7	Cited 219 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	14.6 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 11.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	2 / 6	Cited by 8 other studies in this library
Still being cited	2 / 4	Cited 37 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	1 / 4	Last-listed author Noor Aini Mohd Yusoff: h-index 13 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	0 / 3	University of Malaya: institution h-index 615 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22932777)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	63 / 100	—

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