Positive Health Online

Abstract

SHEPPARD and CHEATHAM, 1. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; 2. Center for Biobehavioral Health, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; 3. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; carol_cheatham@unc.edu ; 4. Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC explored the role of the n-6:n-3 ratio in executive function performance in children aged 7-12 years

Background

The ω-6 (n-6) to ω-3 (n-3) fatty acid (FA) ratio (n-6:n-3 ratio) was previously shown to be a predictor of executive function performance in children aged 7-9 y. The authors aimed to replicate and extend previous findings by exploring the role of the n-6:n-3 ratio in executive function performance. They hypothesized that there would be an interaction between n-3 and the n-6:n-3 ratio, with children with low n-3 performing best with a low ratio, and those with high n-3 performing best with a high ratio.

Methodology

Children were recruited on the basis of their consumption of n-6 and n-3 FAs. The executive function performance of 78 children aged 7-12 y was tested with the use of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery and a planning task. Participants provided blood for plasma FA quantification, and the caregiver completed demographic and activity questionnaires. We investigated the role of the n-6:n-3 ratio in the entire sample and separately in children aged 7-9 y (n = 41) and 10-12 y (n = 37).

Results

Dietary and plasma n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicted performance on working memory and planning tasks in children 7-12 y old. The interaction between dietary n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicted the number of moves required to solve the most difficult planning problems in children aged 7-9 y and those aged 10-12 y, similar to results from the previous study. There was also an interaction between the plasma n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicting time spent thinking through the difficult 5-move planning problems. The n-6:n-3 ratio and n-3 predicted executive function performance differently in children aged 7-9 y and in those aged 10-12 y, indicating different optimal FA balances across development.

Conclusion

The n-6:n-3 ratio is an important consideration in the role of FAs in cognitive function, and the optimal balance of n-6 and n-3 FAs depends on the cognitive function and developmental period studied. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02199808.

References

Sheppard KW1,2, Cheatham CL3,4. Executive functions and the ω-6-to-ω-3 fatty acid ratio: a cross-sectional study. Am J Clin Nutr.;105(1):32-41. Jan 2017. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.141390. Epub Nov 16 2016.