Eating more fish seems to slow loss of mental abilities

Eating more fish seems to slow the loss of mental abilities.

The question: Many people have increased the amount of fish in their diet because of the protective effect its omega-3 fatty acids can have on the heart. Might fish also benefit the brain – specifically the thinking, memory and language skills that so often wane as people age?

This study analyzed data on 3,718 people, age 65 and older, who completed questionnaires about the foods they ate and were given a battery of cognitive tests three times in six years. Overall, cognitive ability declined during this time. It fell 10 percent more slowly every year among people who ate fish at least once a week and 13 percent more slowly among those who ate fish two or more times a week than among those who consumed it less often. The authors described the benefit as the equivalent of being three to four years younger.

Who may be affected by these findings? Older people. Although some mental changes occur as people get older, more serious decline, or dementia, is not a normal part of aging.

Caveats: The study did not determine whether certain components of fish were more beneficial than others.

Find this study: December issue of the Archives of Neurology; abstract, published early online, available at www.archneurol.com.

Learn more about elements of cognitive decline at www.niapublications.org (search for “forgetfulness”) and familydoctor.org (search for “memory loss”).