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Red blood cell ω-3 fatty acid levels and markers of accelerated brain aging
Tan ZS, Harris WS, Beiser AS, Au R, Himali JJ, Debette S, Pikula A, Pikula A et al.. Neurology, 2012-02-01
Topic: Brain imaging, connectivity and assessment
Objective Higher dietary intake and circulating levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have been related to a reduced risk for dementia, but the pathways underlying this association remain unclear. We examined the cross-sectional relation of red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid levels to subclinical imaging and cognitive markers of dementia risk in a middle-aged to elderly community-based cohort. Methods We related RBC DHA and EPA levels in dementia-free Framingham Study participants (n = 1575; 854 women, age 67 ± 9 years) to performance on cognitive tests and to volumetric brain MRI, with serial adjustments for age, sex, and education (model A, primary model), additionally for APOE ε4 and plasma homocysteine (model B), and also for physical activity and body mass index (model C), or for traditional vascular risk factors (model D). Results Participants with RBC DHA levels in the lowest quartile (Q1) when compared to others (Q2-4) had lower total brain and greater white matter hyperintensity volumes (for model A: β ± SE = -0.49 ± 0.19; p = 0.009, and 0.12 ± 0.06; p = 0.049, respectively) with persistence of the association with total brain volume in multivariable analyses. Participants with lower DHA and ω-3 index (RBC DHA+EPA) levels (Q1 vs. Q2-4) also had lower scores on tests of visual memory (β ± SE = -0.47 ± 0.18; p = 0.008), executive function (β ± SE = -0.07 ± 0.03; p = 0.004), and abstract thinking (β ± SE = -0.52 ± 0.18; p = 0.004) in model A, the results remaining significant in all models. Conclusion Lower RBC DHA levels are associated with smaller brain volumes and a "vascular" pattern of cognitive impairment even in persons free of clinical dementia.
Key findings
- Results Participants with RBC DHA levels in the lowest quartile (Q1) when compared to others (Q2-4) had lower total brain and greater white matter hyperintensity volumes (for model A: β ± SE = -0.49 ± 0.19; p = 0.009, and 0.12 ± 0.06; p = 0.049, respectively) with persistence of the association with total brain volume in multivariable analyses.
- Q2-4) also had lower scores on tests of visual memory (β ± SE = -0.47 ± 0.18; p = 0.008), executive function (β ± SE = -0.07 ± 0.03; p = 0.004), and abstract thinking (β ± SE = -0.52 ± 0.18; p = 0.004) in model A, the results remaining significant in all models.
- Conclusion Lower RBC DHA levels are associated with smaller brain volumes and a "vascular" pattern of cognitive impairment even in persons free of clinical dementia.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants1,575
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 60/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported 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 35 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 60 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2012 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,575 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 | 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 22371413) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 35 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 35 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 60 out of 100. |
| Total | 60 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Tan, Z. S., Harris, W. S., Beiser, A. S., Au, R., Himali, J. J., Debette, S., et al. (2012). Red blood cell ω-3 fatty acid levels and markers of accelerated brain aging. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e318249f6a9
Vancouver
Tan ZS, Harris WS, Beiser AS, Au R, Himali JJ, Debette S, et al. Red blood cell ω-3 fatty acid levels and markers of accelerated brain aging. Neurology. 2012. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e318249f6a9. PMID: 22371413.
BibTeX
@article{tan2012-22371413,
author = {Tan, Z. S. and Harris, W. S. and Beiser, A. S. and Au, R. and Himali, J. J. and Debette, S. and Pikula, A. and others},
title = {{Red blood cell ω-3 fatty acid levels and markers of accelerated brain aging}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e318249f6a9},
pmid = {22371413},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e318249f6a9}
}
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