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[Omega-6/omega-3 ratio and cognition in children with epilepsy]

Karima Abdelfattah Bahagat1, Marwa Elhady1, Ali Abdel Aziz2

  • 1Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Al-Azhar, El Cairo, Egipto.

Anales De Pediatria
|January 21, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Children with epilepsy show altered omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratios, impacting cognitive function. Lower omega-3 and higher omega-6 levels correlate with poorer cognitive performance in pediatric epilepsy.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Nutritional Neuroscience

Background:

  • Cognitive impairment is a frequent outcome in children with epilepsy.
  • The role of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid balance in this impairment is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio in children with idiopathic epilepsy.
  • To determine the association between these fatty acid levels and cognitive function.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 30 children with idiopathic epilepsy and 20 healthy controls.
  • Gas-liquid chromatography was used to measure serum levels of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and linoleic acid (omega-6).
  • Cognitive function was assessed using the Stanford-Binet test and P300 event-related potentials.

Main Results:

  • Children with epilepsy exhibited significantly lower omega-3 and higher omega-6 fatty acid levels, resulting in an abnormal omega-6/omega-3 ratio compared to controls.
  • Serum omega-3 levels positively correlated with cognitive scores and P300 latency.
  • Serum omega-6 levels negatively correlated with cognitive scores and P300 latency.

Conclusions:

  • Idiopathic epilepsy in children is associated with dysregulated serum omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratios.
  • These altered fatty acid profiles are linked to impaired cognitive function in pediatric epilepsy.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenCogniciónCognitionEpilepsia idiopáticaIdiopathic epilepsyInfanciaOmega-3Omega-6

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