Increasing levels of healthy fats such as omega-3 in the brain could protect against motor neurone disease and dementia, a study suggests.
There are two essential fatty acids that must be consumed in food, as the human body cannot produce them.
Alpha linoleic acid is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in flaxseed, soybean and vegetable oils, and linoleic acid is a type of omega-6 fatty acid found in similar foods.
Researchers measured the levels of different types of fats in cells from people with MND or frontotemporal dementia, as well as fruit flies with a gene mutation called C9orf72 — the most common genetic cause of both conditions.
Both the human patients and flies were found to have significantly lower levels of poly-unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, compared to healthy controls.
When the flies were fed both fatty acids, researchers noted a small improvement in survival rates. And this was boosted further when the flies were genetically modified to have the ability to make fatty acids themselves.
Survival of the modified flies increased by 83%, from 15 days to 27.5 days. Increasing levels of fatty acids in the cells of people with MND or frontotemoral dementia also prolonged the cells’ survival.
Professor Adrian Isaacs, who led the research at the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, said: “Epidemiological studies suggest that people with a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids have a lower risk of developing motor neurone disease.
“Our study adds a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind this. From our findings we can conclude that enhancing levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain may be beneficial in motor neurone disease.”
The next step will be testing the theory in human patients. Prof Isaacs added: “We first need to work out which specific fatty acid would be best to test in humans, and how we can deliver sufficient quantities to the brain.
“Then, we want to take these findings forward into a clinical trial.”
Food sources of omega-3 include fish and seafood — particularly salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring and sardines, nuts and seeds, and plant oils.
Previous research has found that omega-3 may promote good brain health by reducing cognitive decline, improving memory, and increasing cognitive well-being.
Dr Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “With nearly one million people living with dementia in the UK, there is an urgent need to understand and treat the diseases that cause this condition, including rarer forms.
“Neurodegenerative diseases are complex, however some share similar genetic changes. This means that understanding how these changes affect the brain could ultimately lead to new treatment approaches for dementia.
“It is exciting to see findings which suggest that increasing levels of fatty acids, including omega-3 could be protective against motor neurone disease and frontotemporal dementia.”