Association between plasma long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids concentrations and cognitive function: findings from NHANES III

Xiaojing Li; Zijie Huang; Yueqin Tian; Xing Chen; Haidong Wu; Tong Wang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1305570

Association between plasma long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids concentrations and cognitive function: findings from NHANES III

Front Psychol. 2024 May 2:15:1305570. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1305570. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Xiaojing Li^#¹, Zijie Huang^#¹, Yueqin Tian^#², Xing Chen¹, Haidong Wu¹, Tong Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
² Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: With increased life expectancy, cognitive decline has emerged as a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the correlation between concentrations of Plasma long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) and cognitive performance in elderly Americans.

Methods: Data were analyzed from older adults enrolled in two NHANES cycles. Participants completed four cognitive assessments, including the Immediate Recall Test (IRT), Delayed Recall Test (DRT), Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Linear regression and restricted cubic spline modeling examined associations between plasma LCPUFAs levels and cognitive test outcomes.

Results: The cohort included 610 adults aged 69 years on average, 300 (49.2%) males and 310 (50.8%) females. The median LCPUFAs concentration was 309.4 μmol/L, with an interquartile range of 244.7-418.9 μmol/L. In unadjusted and adjusted generalized linear regression model analyses, circulating LCPUFAs exhibited significant positive correlations with DRT performance. No relationships were detected among those with chronic conditions (chronic heart failure, stroke, diabetes). A significant association between LCPUFAs levels and DRT scores was evident in males but not females.

Conclusion: Plasma LCPUFAs concentrations were significantly associated with DRT performance in males free of chronic illnesses, including heart failure, stroke, and diabetes.

Keywords: cognitive function; delayed recall test; docosahexaenoic acid; eicosapentaenoic acid; plasma long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), grant numbers 81070125, 81270213, and 81670306; the Science and Technology Foundation in Guangdong Province (Grant Nos. 2010B031600032 and 2014A020211002); the National Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Grant No. 2017A030313503); the Science and Technology Foundation in Guangzhou City (Grant No. 201806020084); the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant Nos. 13ykzd16 and 17ykjc18); the Futian District Health and Public Welfare Research Project of Shenzhen City, grant number FTWS2019001, FTWS2021016, FTWS2022026, and FTWS2023064; and the Shenzhen Fundamental Research Program (Grant Nos. JCYJ20190808101405466, JCYJ20210324115003008, and JCYJ20220530144404009); Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (KCXFZ20230731094100002).