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Updated: May 7, 2026

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
ω-3 fatty acids and domain-specific cognitive aging: secondary analyses of data from WHISCA
Eric M Ammann1, James V Pottala, William S Harris
1From the Department of Epidemiology (E.M.A., R.W., R.M.C., J.G.R.), College of Public Health, and Departments of Internal Medicine (R.W., J.G.R.) and Neurology (N.L.D.), College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City; OmegaQuant Analytics (J.V.P., W.S.H.), Sioux Falls; Department of Medicine (W.S.H.), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion; and Department of Biostatistical Sciences (M.A.E.), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC.
Objective:
To test the hypothesis that higher levels of red blood cell (RBC) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have a protective association with domain-specific cognitive function in women aged 65 years and older.
Methods:
A total of 2,157 women with normal cognition enrolled in a clinical trial of postmenopausal hormone therapy were followed with annual cognitive testing for a median of 5.9 years. In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed the relationship between prerandomization RBC DHA + EPA levels and a) cognitive measures at baseline, and b) cognitive change over time. Endpoints were composite cognitive function and performance in 7 cognitive domains: fine motor speed, verbal memory, visual memory, spatial ability, verbal knowledge, verbal fluency, and working memory.
Results:
After adjustment for demographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics, no significant (p < 0.01) cross-sectional cognitive differences were found between women in the high and low DHA + EPA tertiles at the time of the first annual cognitive battery. In addition, no significant (p < 0.01) differences were found between the high and low DHA + EPA tertiles in the rate of cognitive change over time.
Conclusions:
We did not find an association between RBC DHA + EPA levels and age-associated cognitive decline in a cohort of older, dementia-free women.
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