(AMENDED ID 86) The combined effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and B vitamins on Cognition in the older adult: A Systematic Review

IntroductionThe association between long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), brain health, cognitive function and mood has been the subject of intensive research. Marine-derived omega-3 PUFAs, such as docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, are highly concentrated in neuronal membranes and affect brain function. Many studies have found that consumption of omega-3 PUFAs is associated with lower risk of cognitive or mood dysfunction. However, other studies have demonstrated no beneficial effects. There appears to be inconsistent findings from both epidemiological and randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies. The aim of this review is to compile the previous literature and establish the efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs in enhancing cognitive performance and mood in healthy adults.Methods and analysisProspective cohort studies, RCTs, controlled clinical trials, controlled before and after studies, interrupted time series with a minimum of 3 months duration will be eligible for inclusion. Studies on healthy adults over the age of 18, where the intervention/exposure of interest is omega-3 PUFAs will be included. The outcomes of interest are cognition and mood. Studies will be eligible for inclusion if they measure changes in cognitive function or mood, or the risk of developing cognitive or mood disorders using validated tools and assessments. Relevant search terms and keywords will be used to generate a systematic search in Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Scopus and the grey literature. Two independent reviewers will screen studies for eligibility. Risk of bias in cohort and non-randomised studies will be assessed using the ROBINS-I tool. The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials will be used for RCTs. If there are sufficient data, a meta-analysis will be conducted.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review does not involve primary data collection and therefore formal ethical approval is not required. Results will be disseminated through peer reviewed publications, conference presentations and the popular press.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018080800.

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Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in cardiac surgery patients: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.1016/j.clnu.2016.05.013 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 737-746 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Pascal L. Langlois ◽

Gil Hardy ◽

William Manzanares

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Cardiac Surgery ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Omega 3

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Impact of omega-3 fatty acid DHA and EPA supplementation in pregnant or breast-feeding women on cognitive performance of children: systematic review and meta-analysis

Nutrition Reviews ◽

10.1093/nutrit/nuaa060 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

A Lehner ◽

K Staub ◽

L Aldakak ◽

P Eppenberger ◽

F Rühli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Small Sample ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Long Chain

Abstract Introduction The omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are important for brain development and cognitive performance. Because they are semi-essential fatty acids, they must be obtained from food. However, the dietary reference intakes of DHA and EPA have not yet been established. In women, a low DHA and/or EPA serum level during pregnancy or breastfeeding might negatively affect their children. For this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials on the association between the consumption of fish oil supplements in pregnant and/or breastfeeding women and the cognitive performance of their children. Methods The PubMed, Embase, and Central literature databases were systematically searched. We included and extracted relevant studies in duplicate and assessed study quality. Cognitive outcomes were grouped according to published criteria and according to time elapsed after the intervention. We performed fixed-effects meta-analyses for each cognitive outcome and for birth weight. We assessed potential confounding with meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses. Results A total of 11 trials were included. No significant association was found between DHA/EPA supplementation and any of the assessed cognitive parameters or birth weight. Discussion Our results confirm previous reviews on the studied topic. Reasons for inconclusive results may be small sample sizes for each assessed category, questionable quality of included studies, and the difficulty of reliably measuring cognitive performance in small children. Blood levels of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids were mostly not comparable. Furthermore, the influence of genetic and environmental factors could not be assessed. Studies in this field should address such shortcomings.

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