Oily fish found to help brains age healthily

New research appears to indicate that omega-3 oils can be effective as a therapeutic treatment in the early stages of brain degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

A study conducted by Charite Universitatsmedizin in Berlin found that the formation of degenerating nanoplaques in the brain was reduced by some ten per cent following the administration of omega-3 rich fish oils.

Professor Gunter Siegel, who led the research, said: “One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the accumulation of amyloid-containing plaques in the brain.”

“We know that fish oils are heart protective and that amyloid plaques are very similar in composition to atherosclerotic plaques,” he added, noting that such plaques are contained in the arteries of people with heart disease.

The size of existing nanoplaques was reduced by about 15 per cent when compared with those of a control group, the research team reported.

Charite Universitatsmedizin says it has grown in importance in recent years in the fields of treatment and medical training.