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. 2020 Jun;59(4):1763-1766.
doi: 10.1007/s00394-019-02126-x. Epub 2019 Nov 1.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of Alzheimer's disease: a Mendelian randomization study

Yasutake Tomata  1   2 , Susanna C Larsson  3 , Sara Hägg  4
Affiliations

Polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of Alzheimer's disease: a Mendelian randomization study

Yasutake Tomata et al. Eur J Nutr. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Observational studies have suggested that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may decrease Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. In the present study, we examined this hypothesis using a Mendelian randomization analysis.

Methods: We used summary statistics data for single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with plasma levels of n-6 PUFAs (linoleic acid, arachidonic acid) and n-3 PUFAs (alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid), and the corresponding data for AD from a genome-wide association meta-analysis of 63,926 individuals (21,982 diagnosed AD cases, 41,944 controls).

Results: None of the genetically predicted PUFAs was significantly associated with AD risk; odds ratios (95% confidence interval) per 1 SD increase in PUFA levels were 0.98 (0.93, 1.03) for linoleic acid, 1.01 (0.98, 1.05) for arachidonic acid, 0.96 (0.88, 1.06) for alpha-linolenic acid, 1.03 (0.93, 1.13) for eicosapentaenoic acid, 1.03 (0.97, 1.09) for docosapentaenoic acid, and 1.01 (0.81, 1.25) for docosahexaenoic acid.

Conclusions: This study did not support the hypothesis that PUFAs decrease AD risk.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Mendelian randomization analysis; Polyunsaturated fatty acids.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors did not have any potential conflicts of interest related to the manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Mendelian randomization results: phospholipid levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids and Alzheimer’s disease (21,982 clinically diagnosed cases and 41,944 controls)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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