Thursday, December 1, 2011

Fish: It's Good for the Brain

Today's widely publicized announcement that eating fish may dramatically reduced the risk of Alzheimer's is giving everyone more food for thought. According to a new study of 260 healthy adults shows those who eat fish weekly are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, including the related condition known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

The benefits of fish on the brain stem from high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, both of which are known for their anti-inflammatory benefits.

“This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer’s risk,” said Cyrus Raji, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least one time per week had better preservation of gray matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.”


“Consuming baked or broiled fish promotes stronger neurons in the brain’s gray matter by making them larger and healthier,” noted Dr. Raji. “This simple lifestyle choice increases the brain’s resistance to Alzheimer’s disease and lowers risk for the disorder.”


Image of brains from the University of Pittsburgh
Article: Eating Fish Tied to Dramatic Drop in Alzheimer's Risk

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