14 DAY TRIAL // A study published in the latest online issue of the journal Neurology indicates that eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may yield a protective effect against Alzheimer's disease. The compound makes it less likely for the neurodegenerative form of dementia to set in and progress.
Foods that contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids include salad dressing, fish, chicken and some nuts. The chemicals appear to attack the protein beta-amyloid, which past investigations have demonstrated to play a significant role in the development of protein deposits between neurons in the brain.
Experts with the Columbia University Medical Center, in New York, surveyed 1,219 test subject aged 65 or more, who did not display signs of dementia, and tracked back their eating habits for an average period of around 1.2 years, PsychCentral reports.
The team found that eating a single gram of omega-3 fatty acids per day reduces beta-amyloid protein levels in the blood by as much as 20 to 30 percent. The team now plans to see whether the same reduction occurs in the brain, too.