Eating fish regularly, as long as it is not fried, may lower the risk of subtle brain damage that leads to stroke and dementia, scientists reported on Monday.
Researchers from Finland found that adults who ate more fish were less likely to show tiny dead areas of brain tissue called infarcts. The Finnish study followed 3,660 adults age 65 and older, and looked for the brain infarcts, which are caused by insufficient blood supply.
The damage is considered silent because it can only be detected through an MRI brain scan, and causes no obvious symptoms. It can raise a person’s risk of developing dementia or having a stroke.
Among those studies, older adults who said they ate tuna and other unfried fish at least three times a week were one-fourth less likely to have brain infarcts than those who rarely ate fish.
The fish eaters were also less likely to develop the brain infarcts over the next five years.
According to the report, which appeared in the journal Neurology, consumption of fried fish did not carry the same benefits.
The study was not able to pinpoint the reason behind the benefits, but omega-3 fatty acids are likely to play a key role, said Dr. Jyrki K. Virtanen of the University of Kuopio.
Researchers found a link between higher intake and lower risk of brain infarcts when they studied participants’ consumption of EPA and DHA, two major omega-3 fatty acids.
According to the researchers, the fact that fried meals like fish burgers and fish sticks are typically made from fish low in omega-3 may be the reason preventative effects were not found in participants consuming these foods.
The findings add to the evidence that fish like salmon, mackerel, and albacore tuna, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, may have “important health benefits.”
“Previous findings have shown that fish and fish oil can help prevent stroke, but this is one of the only studies that looks at fish’s effect on silent brain infarcts in healthy, older people,” Virtanen said.
“More research is needed as to why these types of fish may have protective effects, but the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA would seem to have a major role.” Virtanen noted.
It’s estimated that nearly 20 percent of adults over the age of 65 will develop at least one brain infarct within 5 years, increasing their risk of stroke and dementia.
The American Heart Association recommends that adults eat at least two fatty fish meals per week to better their cardiovascular health.
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