Dementia is a serious cognitive disorder in which there is a long-term decline in cognitive function, affecting functions such as memory, attention, speech, and problem solving. The progression of dementia is associated with the normal ageing process and is extremely common in the geriatric population.

As many as 6.8 million people in the United States are living with dementia. There are many types of dementia, not all associated with age; indeed it can technically occur at any stage of life as a result of any form of brain damage. The symptoms of dementia include a general loss of memory, in which basic things like names and places become harder to recall, or difficulties in remembering recent events such as what you ate for breakfast. Other symptoms include a general change in mood and problems with communicating as talking, reading and writing. During the later stages of dementia the person affected will have problems carrying out everyday tasks, and will become increasingly dependent on other people.

Of all the types of dementia, Alzheimer’s is probably the best known form. Alzheimer’s disease was described by German neurologist Alois Alzheimer who described the condition a physical disease of the brain. Neurofibrillary ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ are protein masses that develop and ultimately lead to the death of brain cells. This in turn then leads to a shortage of neurotransmitters that are involved with the transmission of messages within the brain. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, which means that gradually, over time, more parts of the brain are damaged and as this happens, the symptoms become more severe.

Fatty acids help to form the phospholipids in the brain, which are vital for cell signaling. Cell signaling is important for brain function, the degeneration of which is the primary symptom of dementia. Without enough fatty acids, communication between our cells ceases to operate properly and this can have an adverse effect on brain function. Supplementing with EPA protects phospholipids by reducing the efficiency of the enzyme phospholipase A2, which acts like a pair of scissors releasing fatty acids from the cell membrane and therefore improves cell signaling. EPA not only plays a major role in cell signaling but also contributes to the compaction and stabilization of neurones and reduces the atrophy associated with the shrinking brain. The formation of neurofibrillary ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ which damages brain cells is complex, but has been shown to be suppressed by supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids. Indeed epidemiological and clinical evidence indicates that increasing omega-3 fatty acids may have a protective effect against dementia. Westernization and the increased consumption of trans fats are also implicated in the progression of dementia. Food which are highly processed and those which contain margarine, for example, tend to contain trans fats and should ideally be avoided.