Nourishing the Brain or the Mood? Dietary Omega-3s for Psychological, but Not Cognitive Health.

Diets rich in omega-3 sources were associated with lower depression and stress scores.

• Dietary patterns including nuts, seeds, fish, and seafood were linked to reduced psychological symptom scores.
• Depression was measured using the PHQ-9 and stress using the PSS-10.
• The sample consisted of 313 healthy adults who completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).

EPA and DHA, but not ALA, were specifically linked to mood benefits.

• Among the specific omega-3 fatty acids quantified, EPA and DHA showed associations with lower depression and stress scores.
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) did not show the same mood-related associations.
• Precise quantification of EPA, DHA, and ALA intake was performed in a subgroup of 52 older adults using a detailed in-person FFQ.

Dietary omega-3 intake was not significantly associated with cognitive performance.

• Cognitive performance included short-term and episodic memory evaluated using Sternberg and Old/New recognition tests.
• Omega-3 dietary intake did not moderate the relationship between mood and memory.
• This null finding applied across the full sample of 313 healthy adults.

Self-reported omega-3 supplementation was linked to fewer depressive symptoms and better episodic memory.

• Unlike dietary omega-3 intake alone, omega-3 supplementation showed associations with both psychological and cognitive outcomes.
• Better episodic memory was specifically associated with self-reported supplementation.
• This finding was notable because dietary omega-3 intake alone did not show the same cognitive associations.

The role of dietary omega-3 in cognition in healthy adults is not well-established.

• The study focused on non-clinical samples of healthy adults.
• Dietary omega-3 intake did not significantly predict cognitive performance or moderate mood-cognition relationships.
• The authors concluded this area 'warrants further investigation.'