How DHA fights Alzheimer's

Posted on 2005-09-29 11:18:55 in Dietary Supplementation |

New research helps explain how the fatty acid DHA protects against Alzheimer's, a benefit noted in several studies.

In a report to be published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation , Nicolas Bazan and colleagues from Louisiana State University have shown a mechanism by which DHA is neuroprotective.

The researchers have shown that DHA decreases levels of pathogenic peptides called Abeta peptides while increasing the synthesis of a protective DHA-derived messenger called neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1).

NPD1 inhibits apoptosis triggered by Abeta peptides.

In a human brain with Alzheimer's, the researchers showed that DHA and NPD1 were reduced in vulnerable brain regions.

This, they say, suggests that NPD1 is a key regulator of cell survival, a finding that could provide insight into developing new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.


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