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Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An essential nutrient and a nutraceutical for brain health and diseases
Sun GY, Simonyi A, Fritsche KL, Chuang DY, Hannink M, Gu Z, Greenlief CM, Yao JK et al.. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids, 2017-03-10
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) enriched in phospholipids in the brain and retina, is known to play multi-functional roles in brain health and diseases. While arachidonic acid (AA) is released from membrane phospholipids by cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ), DHA is linked to action of the Ca 2+ -independent iPLA2. DHA undergoes enzymatic conversion by 15-lipoxygenase (Alox 15) to form oxylipins including resolvins and neuroprotectins, which are powerful lipid mediators. DHA can also undergo non-enzymatic conversion by reacting with oxygen free radicals (ROS), which cause the production of 4-hydoxyhexenal (4-HHE), an aldehyde derivative which can form adducts with DNA, proteins and lipids. In studies with both animal models and humans, there is evidence that inadequate intake of maternal n-3 PUFA may lead to aberrant development and function of the central nervous system (CNS). What is less certain is whether consumption of n-3 PUFA is important in maintaining brain health throughout one's life span. Evidence mostly from non-human studies suggests that DHA intake above normal nutritional requirements might modify the risk/course of a number of diseases of the brain. This concept has fueled much of the present interest in DHA research, in particular, in attempts to delineate mechanisms whereby DHA may serve as a nutraceutical and confer neuroprotective effects. Current studies have revealed ability for the oxylipins to regulation of cell redox homeostasis through the Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2/Antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) anti-oxidant pathway, and impact signaling pathways associated with neurotransmitters, and modulation of neuronal functions involving brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF). This review is aimed at describing recent studies elaborating these mechanisms with special regard to aging and Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury, and stroke.
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APA 7th
Sun, G. Y., Simonyi, A., Fritsche, K. L., Chuang, D. Y., Hannink, M., Gu, Z., et al. (2018). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An essential nutrient and a nutraceutical for brain health and diseases. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2017.03.006
Vancouver
Sun GY, Simonyi A, Fritsche KL, Chuang DY, Hannink M, Gu Z, et al. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An essential nutrient and a nutraceutical for brain health and diseases. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids. 2018. doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2017.03.006. PMID: 28314621.
BibTeX
@article{sun2018-28314621,
author = {Sun, G. Y. and Simonyi, A. and Fritsche, K. L. and Chuang, D. Y. and Hannink, M. and Gu, Z. and Greenlief, C. M. and Yao, J. K. and others},
title = {{Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An essential nutrient and a nutraceutical for brain health and diseases}},
journal = {Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1016/j.plefa.2017.03.006},
pmid = {28314621},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2017.03.006}
}
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Key findings
- Evidence mostly from non-human studies suggests that DHA intake above normal nutritional requirements might modify the risk/course of a number of diseases of the brain.
- Current studies have revealed ability for the oxylipins to regulation of cell redox homeostasis through the Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2/Antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) anti-oxidant pathway, and impact signaling pathways associated with neurotransmitters, and modulation of neuronal functions involving brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF).
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded 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 22 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” 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 | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 28314621) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 22 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 22 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
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