Docosahexaenoic Acid for Reading, Cognition and Behavior in Children Aged 7–9 Years: A Randomized, Controlled Trial (The DOLAB Study)

Abstract

BackgroundOmega-3 fatty acids are dietary essentials, and the current low intakes in most modern developed countries are believed to contribute to a wide variety of physical and mental health problems. Evidence from clinical trials indicates that dietary supplementation with long-chain omega-3 may improve child behavior and learning, although most previous trials have involved children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Here we investigated whether such benefits might extend to the general child population.ObjectivesTo determine the effects of dietary supplementation with the long-chain omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the reading, working memory, and behavior of healthy schoolchildren.DesignParallel group, fixed-dose, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (RCT).SettingMainstream primary schools in Oxfordshire, UK (n = 74).ParticipantsHealthy children aged 7–9 years initially underperforming in reading (≤33rd centile). 1376 invited, 362 met study criteria.Intervention600 mg/day DHA (from algal oil), or taste/color matched corn/soybean oil placebo.Main Outcome MeasuresAge-standardized measures of reading, working memory, and parent- and teacher-rated behavior.ResultsITT analyses showed no effect of DHA on reading in the full sample, but significant effects in the pre-planned subgroup of 224 children whose initial reading performance was ≤20th centile (the target population in our original study design). Parent-rated behavior problems (ADHD-type symptoms) were significantly reduced by active treatment, but little or no effects were seen for either teacher-rated behaviour or working memory.ConclusionsDHA supplementation appears to offer a safe and effective way to improve reading and behavior in healthy but underperforming children from mainstream schools. Replication studies are clearly warranted, as such children are known to be at risk of low educational and occupational outcomes in later life.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01066182 and Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN99771026

Dietary DHA during development affects depression-like behaviors and biomarkers that emerge after puberty in adolescent rats

“…Thus, suboptimal DHA intake may infl uence synapse pruning, myelination, inhibitory synaptogenesis, and so forth, during this time. Indeed, DHA defi ciency throughout development leads to decreased DHA levels in neural tissue and is associated with defi cits in psychomotor development ( 21 ), problem solving ( 22 ), reading skills ( 23 ), visual acuity ( 24 ), and attention ( 25 ). Furthermore, emerging clinical data support a link between suffi cient DHA intake with a reduction in the incidence and/or symptomatic relief of adolescent depression ( 5,(26)(27)(28)(29), and there exists an abundance of clinical evidence supporting a positive role for the omega-3 PUFA EPA in the treatment of adult depression ( 30 ).…”

Supplementation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), vitamin D3 and uridine in combination with six weeks of cognitive and motor training in prepubescent children: a pilot study

“…Only few studies have investigated the effect of DHA supplementation on cognitive abilities in healthy children and the results are conflicting [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. The NEMO study [11] included a total of 644 healthy children from Australia and Indonesia aged 6-10 years.…”

“…Some studies have examined the effect of DHA alone in randomized control trials [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Thus, the available evidence does not present a clear and coherent picture.…”

“…Thus, the available evidence does not present a clear and coherent picture. Three studies have shown a positive effect of DHA supplementation on some cognitive outcomes [15][16][17] one study has shown mixed results [14] while others report no effect [11][12][13]. In a recent meta-analysis, the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid was evaluated on cognitive outcome and it was concluded that the supplementation may significantly improve cognitive development in infants, but does not improve cognitive performance in children, adults, or in the elderly [18].…”

Ácido docosahexaenoico (DHA), un ácido graso esencial a nivel cerebral

“…Durante el embarazo y la lactancia el consumo de DHA en forma directa o como suplementación, produciría importantes benefi cios en los recién nacidos, especialmente en las funciones cognitivas y visuales (9,12,70), mientras que una alta ingesta de DHA durante el envejecimiento ayudaría a prevenir el deterioro cognitivo (8,59,65), siendo la NDP-1 un importante agente neuroprotector (15,46). Diversos trabajos han establecido la relevancia de un adecuado aporte de DHA en lactantes y niños y los benefi cios observados en el rendimiento escolar (74)(75)(76). Lamentablemente, en la actualidad la dieta occidental presenta un muy bajo aporte de DHA, situación que ha estimulado el desarrollo de alimentos y/o nutraceúticos que lo contienen en diferentes concentraciones y presentaciones, para lo cual se han realizado números esfuerzos destinados a obtener ingredientes factibles se ser utilizados como fuentes de DHA y a lograr incorporar este ácido graso en diversos alimentos (77).…”