Study Links Loss of Omega Fatty Acids to Higher Alzheimer’s Risk in Women
New Delhi: Omega fatty acids may help protect women against Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
In the study, scientists from King’s College London and Queen Mary University London analyzed blood lipids — fat molecules essential for various bodily functions — and discovered a marked reduction in unsaturated fats, including omega fatty acids, in women with Alzheimer’s compared to healthy women.
Interestingly, no such difference was found in men with the disease, suggesting that these fats may influence Alzheimer’s risk differently based on sex. Since fats play a crucial role in brain health, the findings may help explain why more women than men are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
This is the first study to highlight the potential sex-specific role of lipids in Alzheimer’s risk.
“Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s Disease and are more often diagnosed with the disease than men after the age of 80. One of the most surprising things we saw when looking at the different sexes was that there was no difference in these lipids in healthy and cognitively impaired men, but for women this picture was completely different,” said Dr Cristina Legido-Quigley, from King’s College London.
“The study reveals that Alzheimer's lipid biology is different between the sexes, opening new avenues for research,” he added.
For the study, the team took plasma samples from 841 participants who had Alzheimer’s Disease, mild cognitive impairment, and cognitively healthy controls, and measured for brain inflammation and damage.
They used mass spectrometry to analyse the 700 individual lipids in the blood.
Saturated lipids are generally considered ‘unhealthy’ or ‘bad’, while unsaturated lipids, which sometimes contain omega fatty acids, are generally considered ‘healthy’.
Scientists saw a steep increase in lipids with saturation -- the ‘unhealthy lipids’ -- in women with Alzheimer’s compared to the healthy group. The lipids with attached omega fatty acids were the most decreased in the Alzheimer’s group.
The scientists said there is a statistical indication that there is a causal link between Alzheimer’s Disease and fatty acids. But a clinical trial is necessary to confirm the link.
“Our study suggests that women should make sure they are getting omega fatty acids in their diet -- through fatty fish or via supplements. However, we need clinical trials to determine if shifting the lipid composition can influence the biological trajectory of Alzheimer’s Disease,” Legido-Quigley said.