From the Department of Internal Medicine (J.V.P., W.S.H.), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls; Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. (J.V.P., W.S.H.), Richmond, VA; Department of Psychiatry (K.Y.), University of California Medical Center, San Francisco; Departments of Epidemiology and Internal Medicine (J.R., R.W.), University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City; Department of Biostatistical Services (M.A.E.), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; and OmegaQuant Analytics (W.S.H.), Sioux Falls, SD.
Neurology. 2014 Feb 4;82(5):435-42. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000080. Epub 2014 Jan 22.
To test whether red blood cell (RBC) levels of marine omega-3 fatty acids measured in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study were related to MRI brain volumes measured 8 years later.
RBC eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and MRI brain volumes were assessed in 1,111 postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. The endpoints were total brain volume and anatomical regions. Linear mixed models included multiple imputations of fatty acids and were adjusted for hormone therapy, time since randomization, demographics, intracranial volume, and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
In fully adjusted models, a 1 SD greater RBC EPA + DHA (omega-3 index) level was correlated with 2.1 cm(3) larger brain volume (p = 0.048). DHA was marginally correlated (p = 0.063) with total brain volume while EPA was less so (p = 0.11). There were no correlations between ischemic lesion volumes and EPA, DHA, or EPA + DHA. A 1 SD greater omega-3 index was correlated with greater hippocampal volume (50 mm(3), p = 0.036) in fully adjusted models. Comparing the fourth quartile vs the first quartile of the omega-3 index confirmed greater hippocampal volume (159 mm(3), p = 0.034).
A higher omega-3 index was correlated with larger total normal brain volume and hippocampal volume in postmenopausal women measured 8 years later. While normal aging results in overall brain atrophy, lower omega-3 index may signal increased risk of hippocampal atrophy. Future studies should examine whether maintaining higher RBC EPA + DHA levels slows the rate of hippocampal or overall brain atrophy.
检验女性健康倡议记忆研究中测定的红细胞（RBC）内海洋 ω-3 脂肪酸水平是否与 8 年后 MRI 脑容量有关。
从女性健康倡议记忆研究中选取 1111 名绝经后妇女，评估 RBC 二十碳五烯酸（EPA）、二十二碳六烯酸（DHA）和 MRI 脑容量。终点为总脑容量和解剖区域。线性混合模型对脂肪酸进行多次插补，并根据激素治疗、随机分组后时间、人口统计学、颅内体积和心血管疾病危险因素进行调整。
在完全调整的模型中，RBC EPA + DHA（ω-3 指数）水平每增加 1 个标准差，脑容量就会增加 2.1cm³（p = 0.048）。DHA 与总脑容量呈边缘相关（p = 0.063），而 EPA 则相关性较弱（p = 0.11）。EPA、DHA 或 EPA + DHA 与缺血性病变体积均无相关性。在完全调整的模型中，ω-3 指数每增加 1 个标准差，海马体体积就会增加 50mm³（p = 0.036）。与 ω-3 指数的四分位间距相比，第四四分位间距与海马体体积更大有关（159mm³，p = 0.034）。
绝经后妇女的 ω-3 指数较高与 8 年后总正常脑容量和海马体体积较大相关。虽然正常衰老会导致整体脑萎缩，但 ω-3 指数较低可能表明海马体萎缩的风险增加。未来的研究应探讨维持较高 RBC EPA + DHA 水平是否会减缓海马体或整体脑萎缩的速度。
