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Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Reports of Lower Alzheimer's Risk from Omega-3 Fish
Oil Spurs Clinical Trial
National Institute of Aging funds clinical trial that
needs volunteers
May 10, 2007 – Recent studies suggesting omega-3
fatty acids, found in the oil of certain fish, may lower the risk of
Alzheimer’s disease, has sparked the interests of the National Institute
on Aging, which will fund a clinical trial to learn more about this
possibility. They just need a few good older Americans to participate.
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Nutritionists have long endorsed fish as part of a
heart-healthy diet, and now some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty
acids found in the oil of certain fish may also benefit the brain by
lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
In order to test whether an omega-3 fatty acid can
impact the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers supported by
the NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health, will evaluate its
effect in a clinical trial, the gold standard for medical research.
The study will be conducted nationwide by the
Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS), a consortium of leading
researchers supported by NIA and coordinated by the University of
California, San Diego.
The trial will take place at 51 sites across the
United States and seeks 400 participants age 50 and older who have mild
to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Joseph Quinn, M.D., associate professor
of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University, is directing the
study.
Researchers will be evaluating whether the omega-3
fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), taken over many months, slows the
progression of both cognitive and functional decline in people with mild
to moderate Alzheimer’s. During the 18-month clinical trial,
investigators will measure the progress of the disease using standard
tests for functional and cognitive change.
“The evidence to date in observational and animal
studies on omega-3 fatty acids and Alzheimer’s disease warrants further
evaluation in a rigorous clinical trial,” says NIA Director Richard J.
Hodes, M.D.
“This study is one of a number we are undertaking
in the next few years through the ADCS to test compounds that might play
a role in preventing or delaying the symptoms of this devastating
disease.”
“By participating in this study, volunteers will
make an invaluable contribution to Alzheimer’s disease research
progress,” says Quinn, the study’s principal investigator. “We are
indebted to those who graciously volunteer to participate in clinical
studies.”
The trial will use DHA donated by Martek
Biosciences Corporation of Columbia, MD. Participants will receive
either two grams of DHA per day or an inactive placebo pill. About 60
percent of participants will receive DHA, and 40 percent will get the
placebo.
Doctors and nurses at the 50 research clinic sites
will monitor the participants in regular visits throughout the trial. To
ensure unbiased results, neither the researchers conducting the trial
nor the participants will know who is getting DHA and who is getting the
placebo.
In addition to monitoring disease progression
through cognitive tests, researchers will also evaluate whether taking
DHA supplements has a positive effect on physical and biological markers
of Alzheimer’s, such as brain atrophy and proteins in blood and spinal
fluid.
To learn how to participate in the study, contact
NIA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at
1-800-438-4380 or by email to
adear@nia.nih.gov. To view a
list of the research sites, go to http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers.
NIA leads the federal effort supporting and
conducting research on aging and the medical, social and behavioral
issues of older people, including Alzheimer's disease and age-related
cognitive decline. For information on dementia and aging, visit the
NIA's ADEAR Center at
http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers,
or call 1-800-438-4380.
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