New Research published in the Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience found more evidence that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and microalgae, is brain food. The positive neurological benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are not terribly surprising because DHA makes up over 90% of the omega-3 fatty acids in the brain and is responsible for maintaining the cell-nerve membranes.
The research indicates that omega-3 helps the nervous system avoid sensory overload. The authors concluded that omega-3 deficiency, particularly DHA , reduces the brain’s ability to handle sensory input. Moreover, even a small decrease in “brain DHA” can lead to losses in brain function.
These findings have potential therapeutic applications because they link omega-3 deficiency to difficulty in information-processing. Defects in sensorimotor function are the hallmark of many diseases of the nervous system found in people with schizophrenia, bipolar, OCD, ADHD, and Huntington’s disease.
