July 12/London/Daily Mail-- Alzheimer's patients may not benefit from eating fish despite its "brain food" reputation, a study has found.
However, experts still think diets rich in fish could reduce the chances of getting the disease or prevent it progressing from an early stage. Researchers in the U.S. carried out two investigations into DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in oily fish.
Previous studies have indicated that fish oil rich in omega-3 can protect the brain from age-related dementia, but Dr. Joseph Quinn, from Oregon Health and Sciences University, told the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Vienna, "These results do not support the routine use of DHA for patients with Alzheimer's."
Dr. Simon Ridley, research manager at the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said, "These studies show that using omega-3 fatty acids as a treatment late on may not be effective against Alzheimer's. This shouldn't spell the end of research into omega-3, however."
From the July 20, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition
