Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, have been linked to improved attention scores in adolescents

According to a study co-led by the ISGlobal Center supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation and the Pere Virgili Institute for Health (ISPV), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is associated with greater selectivity and sustained attention span in adolescents, while α-linoleic acid (ALA) is associated
with lower impulses.
The findings confirm the importance of
providing enough unsaturated fatty acids in the diet for healthy brain development.

During adolescence, important structural and functional changes occur in the brain, especially in the prefrontal region that
controls attention.
Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, are essential
for the normal development and function of the brain.
The most abundant fatty acid in the brain, especially in the prefrontal region, is DHA, which is mainly provided
by eating fatty fish.

"Although DHA's importance in brain development has been demonstrated, few studies have evaluated whether it plays a role in the attention performance of healthy adolescents," said
Jordi Júlvez, an IISPV researcher, ISGlobal research assistant and coordinator of the study.
"In addition, the possible role of linoleic acid (ALA) from plants has not been extensively studied," he added
.
This is related because fish consumption in Western societies is low
.

The aim of the study was to determine whether high intake of DHA and ALA was associated
with improved attention performance among 332 adolescents in different schools in Barcelona.
Participants were computer-tested, measuring reaction times to determine selectivity and sustained attention, inhibition in the face of scattered stimuli, and impulsivity
.
The teens also answered a series of questions about eating habits and provided blood samples to measure levels of DHA and ALA in red blood cells — an objective and effective indicator
of intake of these fats in a long-term diet.

The results showed that high levels of DHA were associated
with greater selectivity and sustained attention and suppressive attention.
In contrast, ALA is not associated with attention performance, but with lower impulsivity
.
"The role of ALA in attention control is unclear, but this finding may be clinically relevant because impulsivity is characteristic of some psychiatric disorders, such as hyperactivity,"
explains Ariadna Pinar-Martí, first author of the study.

"Our study shows that DHA in the diet is likely to play a role in tasks that require attention, but further research is needed to confirm causality, as well as to understand the role of ALA," Júlvez concluded
.
Regardless, this finding adds to the already existing evidence that eating fatty fish (the primary source of DHA) is beneficial before the brain develops
into adulthood.

Red blood cell omega-3 fatty acids and attention scores in healthy adolescents