Molecular Basis of Omega-3s for Alzheimer’s Disease Revealed

Resolution is the final stage of the inflammatory response, when restoration of tissue occurs. Failure may lead to chronic inflammation, which is speculated to contribute to the pathology of Alzheimer's Disease.    Marianne Schultzberg, from Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), and colleagues analyzed cerebrospinal fluid from 15 men and women with Alzheimer's disease, 20 subjects with mild cognitive impairment, and 21 control participants. They also analyzed brain tissue from 10 Alzheimer's patients and 10 controls. The team assessed for the presence, and relative levels of, specific inflammatory molecules and receptors involved in the resolution pathway – including specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs).. They observed that alterations in levels of these molecules and receptors, which were then correlated by standardized mental assessment to the cognitive decline characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.  The study authors submit that the omega-3 fatty acids may address the resolution pathway dysfunction and thus might be a promising non-drug therapy.