Two studies published in the  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition add more evidence of the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.

One study from Norway found that the more fish folks ate, the better they did on cognitive performance tests. This is called “dose-dependence” in the research jargon.

The study involved 2031 participants, 55% women, between 70?74 years of age from Western Norway. The study found that folks who ate more than 10 grams of fish a day did much better on brain performance tests. Folks who consumed around 75 grams of fish a day did the best.

According to researchers, “Subjects whose mean daily intake of fish and fish products was 10 grams a day had significantly better mean test scores and a lower prevalence of poor cognitive performance than did those whose intake was less than 10 grams a day. The associations between total intake of seafood and cognition were strongly dose-dependent; the maximum effect was observed at an intake of 75 grams a day. Most cognitive functions were influenced by fish intake. The effect was more pronounced for non-processed lean fish and fatty fish.”

The second study from the Netherlands involved over 400 participants between 50-70 years of age, for a three years period. Researchers found that higher concentrations of omega fatty acids in the blood, “… were associated with less decline in the speed-related cognitive domains over 3 years.”

Source
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Norway Study
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Netherlands Study