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      DHA Effects in Brain Development and Function

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          Abstract

          Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a structural constituent of membranes specifically in the central nervous system. Its accumulation in the fetal brain takes place mainly during the last trimester of pregnancy and continues at very high rates up to the end of the second year of life. Since the endogenous formation of DHA seems to be relatively low, DHA intake may contribute to optimal conditions for brain development. We performed a narrative review on research on the associations between DHA levels and brain development and function throughout the lifespan. Data from cell and animal studies justify the indication of DHA in relation to brain function for neuronal cell growth and differentiation as well as in relation to neuronal signaling. Most data from human studies concern the contribution of DHA to optimal visual acuity development. Accumulating data indicate that DHA may have effects on the brain in infancy, and recent studies indicate that the effect of DHA may depend on gender and genotype of genes involved in the endogenous synthesis of DHA. While DHA levels may affect early development, potential effects are also increasingly recognized during childhood and adult life, suggesting a role of DHA in cognitive decline and in relation to major psychiatric disorders.

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          Cross-national epidemiology of major depression and bipolar disorder.

          M Weissman, R Bland, G J Canino … (1996)
          To estimate the rates and patterns of major depression and bipolar disorder based on cross-national epidemiologic surveys. Population-based epidemiologic studies using similar methods from 10 countries: the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, France, West Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Taiwan, Korea, and New Zealand. Approximately 38000 community subjects. Rates, demographics, and age at onset of major depression and bipolar disorder. Symptom profiles, comorbidity, and marital status with major depression. The lifetime rates for major depression vary widely across countries, ranging from 1.5 cases per 100 adults in the sample in Taiwan to 19.0 cases per 100 adults in Beirut. The annual rates ranged from 0.8 cases per 100 adults in Taiwan to 5.8 cases per 100 adults in New Zealand. The mean age at onset shows less variation (range, 24.8-34.8 years). In every country, the rates of major depression were higher for women than men. By contrast, the lifetime rates of bipolar disorder are more consistent across countries (0.3/100 in Taiwan to 1.5/100 in New Zealand); the sex ratios are nearly equal; and the age at first onset is earlier (average, 6 years) than the onset of major depression. Insomnia and loss of energy occurred in most persons with major depression at each site. Persons with major depression were also at increased risk for comorbidity with substance abuse and anxiety disorders at all sites. Persons who were separated or divorced had significantly higher rates of major depression than married persons in most of the countries, and the risk was somewhat greater for divorced or separated men than women in most countries. There are striking similarities across countries in patterns of major depression and of bipolar disorder. The differences in rates for major depression across countries suggest that cultural differences or different risk factors affect the expression of the disorder.
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            Effect of DHA supplementation during pregnancy on maternal depression and neurodevelopment of young children: a randomized controlled trial.

            Maria Makrides, Robert A. Gibson, Andrew J. Mcphee … (2010)
            Uncertainty about the benefits of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for pregnant women and their children exists, despite international recommendations that pregnant women increase their DHA intakes. To determine whether increasing DHA during the last half of pregnancy will result in fewer women with high levels of depressive symptoms and enhance the neurodevelopmental outcome of their children. A double-blind, multicenter, randomized controlled trial (DHA to Optimize Mother Infant Outcome [DOMInO] trial) in 5 Australian maternity hospitals of 2399 women who were less than 21 weeks' gestation with singleton pregnancies and who were recruited between October 31, 2005, and January 11, 2008. Follow-up of children (n = 726) was completed December 16, 2009. Docosahexaenoic acid-rich fish oil capsules (providing 800 mg/d of DHA) or matched vegetable oil capsules without DHA from study entry to birth. High levels of depressive symptoms in mothers as indicated by a score of more than 12 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 6 weeks or 6 months postpartum. Cognitive and language development in children as assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition, at 18 months. Of 2399 women enrolled, 96.7% completed the trial. The percentage of women with high levels of depressive symptoms during the first 6 months postpartum did not differ between the DHA and control groups (9.67% vs 11.19%; adjusted relative risk, 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-1.02; P = .09). Mean cognitive composite scores (adjusted mean difference, 0.01; 95% CI, -1.36 to 1.37; P = .99) and mean language composite scores (adjusted mean difference, -1.42; 95% CI, -3.07 to 0.22; P = .09) of children in the DHA group did not differ from children in the control group. The use of DHA-rich fish oil capsules compared with vegetable oil capsules during pregnancy did not result in lower levels of postpartum depression in mothers or improved cognitive and language development in their offspring during early childhood. anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12605000569606.
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              Beneficial effects of docosahexaenoic acid on cognition in age-related cognitive decline.

              Karin Yurko-Mauro, Deanna McCarthy, Dror Rom … (2010)
              Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays an important role in neural function. Decreases in plasma DHA are associated with cognitive decline in healthy elderly adults and in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Higher DHA intake is inversely correlated with relative risk of Alzheimer's disease. The potential benefits of DHA supplementation in age-related cognitive decline (ARCD) have not been fully examined. Determine effects of DHA administration on improving cognitive functions in healthy older adults with ARCD. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study was conducted at 19 U.S. clinical sites. A total of 485 healthy subjects, aged ≥55 with Mini-Mental State Examination >26 and a Logical Memory (Wechsler Memory Scale III) baseline score ≥1 standard deviation below younger adults, were randomly assigned to 900 mg/d of DHA orally or matching placebo for 24 weeks. The primary outcome was the CANTAB Paired Associate Learning (PAL), a visuospatial learning and episodic memory test. Intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated significantly fewer PAL six pattern errors with DHA versus placebo at 24 weeks (difference score, -1.63 ± 0.76 [-3.1, -0.14, 95% CI], P = .03). DHA supplementation was also associated with improved immediate and delayed Verbal Recognition Memory scores (P < .02), but not working memory or executive function tests. Plasma DHA levels doubled and correlated with improved PAL scores (P < .02) in the DHA group. DHA was well tolerated with no reported treatment-related serious adverse events. Twenty-four week supplementation with 900 mg/d DHA improved learning and memory function in ARCD and is a beneficial supplement that supports cognitive health with aging. Clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT0027813. Copyright © 2010 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Journal ID (nlm-ta): Nutrients
                Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Nutrients
                Journal ID (publisher-id): nutrients
                Title: Nutrients
                Publisher: MDPI
                ISSN (Electronic): 2072-6643
                Publication date (Electronic): 4 January 2016
                Publication date Collection: January 2016
                Volume: 8
                Issue: 1
                Electronic Location Identifier: 6
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Department of Nutrition Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 26, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark; laurinebs@ 123456gmail.com
                [2 ]Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Cà Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, 20121 Milan, Italy; paolo.brambilla1@ 123456unimi.it (P.B.); valentina.ciappolino@ 123456libero.it (V.C.)
                [3 ]Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Texas at Houston, 2800 South Macgregor Way, Houston, TX 77021, USA
                [4 ]Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Cà Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20121 Milan, Italy; alessandra.mazzocchi1@ 123456gmail.com (A.M.); carlo.agostoni@ 123456unimi.it (C.A.)
                Author notes
                [* ]Correspondence: ll@ 123456nexs.ku.dk ; Tel.: +45-3533-2508; Fax: +45-3533-2483
                Article
                Publisher ID: nutrients-08-00006
                DOI: 10.3390/nu8010006
                PMC ID: 4728620
                PubMed ID: 26742060
                SO-VID: 50e5bb20-4a0c-4ab9-b332-13e60ae045aa
                Copyright © © 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
                License:

                This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution (CC-BY) license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

                History
                Date received : 03 November 2015
                Date accepted : 11 December 2015
                Categories
                Subject: Review

                ScienceOpen disciplines: Nutrition & Dietetics
                Keywords: docosahexaenoic acid,brain development,desaturases,psychiatric disorders
                Data availability:
                ScienceOpen disciplines: Nutrition & Dietetics
                Keywords: docosahexaenoic acid, brain development, desaturases, psychiatric disorders

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