Switch to हिंदी

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

हिंदी
  • Health A-Z
  • Diabetes
  • Diseases
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Cancer
    • Heart Attack
    • Pneumonia
    • Diseases A-Z
  • Diet & Fitness
    • Weight Management
    • Exercise & Body Building
    • Diet & Recipes
    • Yoga
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Pregnancy
    • Conceiving
    • Infertility
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Pregnancy week-by-week
    • Breastfeeding
    • Baby Names
  • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Grooming
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home / Health News / Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids for a sharper brain

Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids for a sharper brain

Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for healthy brain development, a new study suggests.

By: Editorial Team   | | Published: February 7, 2014 10:18 am
Tags: In the news  Omega 3 fatty acids  

omega 3 fatty acidsOmega-3 fatty acids are crucial for healthy brain development, a new study suggests. Also Read - 5 surprising food sources of omega-3s, the nutrient that keeps your heart healthy and more

Also Read - 5 reasons why fish is considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet



Researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University found that monkeys that ate a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids had brains with highly connected and well organised neural networks ? in some ways akin to the neural networks in healthy humans. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

Monkeys that ate a diet deficient in the fatty acids had much more limited brain networking, researchers said.

The study provides further evidence for the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in healthy brain development, they said.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids for the human body. But while they are needed for human health, the body can’t make them, it has to get them through food. (Read: You need fats (omega 3 fatty acids) for better memory!)

The study is the first time scientists have been able to use functional brain imaging in live animals to see the large-scale interaction of multiple brain networks in a monkey.

These patterns are remarkably similar to the networks found in humans using the same imaging techniques.

‘The data shows the benefits in how the monkeys’ brains organise over their lifetime if in the setting of a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids,’ said Damien Fair, assistant professor of behavioural neuroscience and assistant professor of psychiatry in the OHSU School of Medicine and senior author on the paper.

‘The data also shows in detail how similar the networks in a monkey brain are to networks in a human brain, but only in the context of a diet rich in omega-3-fatty acids,’ Fair said.

The study measured a kind of omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, which is a primary component of the human brain and important in development of the brain and vision.

DHA is especially found in fatty fish and oils from those fish ? including salmon, mackerel and tuna.

The scientists studied a group of older rhesus macaque monkeys – 17 to 19 years of age – from Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) that had been fed all of their lives either a diet low or high in omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA. (Read: Eat fish containing omega-3 fatty acids twice a week to reduce type 2 diabetes risk!)

They found that monkeys that had the high-DHA diet had strong connectivity of early visual pathways in their brains.

It also found that monkeys with the high-DHA diet showed greater connections within various brain networks similar to the human brain ? including networks for higher-level processing and cognition, said David Grayson, former research assistant in Fair’s lab and first author on the paper.

‘For example, we could see activity and connections within areas of the macaque brain that are important in the human brain for attention,’ said Fair.

The study is published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Other health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids

  1. Improves blood cholesterol levels: According to studies, fish, fish oil and walnuts can decrease triglyceride levels. People who eat fatty fish tend to have increased HDL cholesterol and decreased triglycerides. Read more about why you need omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.
  2. Prevents heart disease: A diet low in saturated fat and rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3 fatty acids) helps prevent heart disease. Fish oil has been shown to reduce arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), risk of stroke and helps prevent and treat atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of artery). Fish oil supplements taken after a heart attack cuts the risk of having another heart attack.
  3. Regulates important physiological functions – Some studies suggest that Omega-3 fats play an important role in the production of prostaglandins which are known to regulate important physiological functions like blood pressure, blood clotting, nerve transmission, allergic responses, etc. (Read more: 10 health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids)

For more articles on diet, check out our fitness section . Health.India.com is now TheHealthSite.com. Follow the all-new site on Facebook and Twitter.

Published : February 7, 2014 10:18 am
Read Disclaimer

6 ways energy drinks affect your health

6 ways energy drinks affect your health

HCL Corp to launch clinics across the country, to invest 1000 crores

HCL Corp to launch clinics across the country, to invest 1000 crores

Please Wait. Article Loading ....

Coronavirus Updates

Coronavirus Updates

Stay Informed, Be Safe

  • Don’t expect to get rid of coronavirus by 2021: WHO warns of continued Covid-19 transmission
  • Planning for a trip? In-flight spread of coronavirus possible during long-haul travel, says study
  • Recovered from Covid-19? Your immune system may fight coronavirus variants
  • To vaccinate or not? Medical expert clears the air around Covid-19 vaccines
  • Coronavirus vaccine: This nasal spray can block the virus for upto 2 days

Health Calculators

BMI Calculator
bmi Calculator
Ideal Body Weight
ideal body weight
Daily Calorie Intake
Daily calorie intake
Calories Burned
calories burned

Related Stories

Omega-3 fatty acids guard against damage from heart attack

Omega-3 fatty acids guard against damage from heart attack

Avoid supplements, eat foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids

Avoid supplements, eat foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids

Fatty acids can help treat arthritis, leukemia

Fatty acids can help treat arthritis, leukemia

Dietary fatty acids help reduce Lou Gehrig's disease

Dietary fatty acids help reduce Lou Gehrig's disease

Omega 3-rich diet may keep joints healthy

Omega 3-rich diet may keep joints healthy

Health News in Hindi

कोरोनावायरस, बैक्टीरिया से होगा बचाव, जब आजमाएंगे ये वर्षों पुराने दादी मां के 4 घरेलू नुस्खे, इम्यूनिटी भी होगी मजबूत

Holding Urine: पेशाब को रोककर रखने की आदत इन 5 गंभीर समस्याओं को दे सकती है जन्म

Diabetes Diet: डायबिटीज रोगियों के लिए 4 सुपरफूड्स, कंट्रोल करेंगे तेजी से ब्लड शुगर लेवल

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: इंफ्लेमेटरी बाउल डिजीज का लक्षण है पतली दस्त होना, बड़ी आंत में बन जाता है घाव

कोवैक्सीन हो या फिर कोविशील्ड! वैक्सीन लगवाने से पहले ये टिप्स कम करेंगे साइड-इफेक्ट का खतरा

Read All

Recent Posts

  • Don’t expect to get rid of coronavirus by 2021: WHO warns of continued Covid-19 transmission
  • Planning for a trip? In-flight spread of coronavirus possible during long-haul travel, says study
  • Beware! Air pollution can lead to irreversible blindness. Here’s how to stay safe
  • Lung cancer: Warning signs and symptoms you should never ignore
  • Beware! Obesity can lead to severe brain pressure disorder

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com
+91 – 22 – 6697 1234
Landline Phone number 91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Useful Links

  • Weight Loss
  • Keto Diet Tips
  • Skin Care Tips
  • Intermittent Fasting
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Ashwagandha
  • Cancer
  • Pneumonia
  • Diarrhoea
  • Dengue
  • Typhoid
  • Tuberculosis
  • Chickenpox
  • Chikungunya
  • Depression
  • Hepatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Swine Flu
  • Baby Names
  • Cough and cold
  • Heart Attack
  • Breast Cancer
  • Ebola Virus
  • Dengue
  • Malaria
  • International Yoga Day
  • Hypotension
  • Heart Failure
  • Asthma
  • Brain Tumour
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • Goitre
  • HIV/AIDS

We respect your privacy

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Author Profiles

Copyright © 2021 Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved.