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Do you enjoy drinking soda?

Well, don’t be surprised if you start forgetting where you left your keys, because according to US scientists eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower. The recently published study showed how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup (like those found in sugar and other refined sweet treats) zapped lab rats’ memories.

The Science

The study was conducted at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) where researchers fed two groups of rats a solution containing high-fructose corn syrup — a common ingredient in processed foods — as drinking water for six weeks. One group of rats was supplemented with brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the other group was not. Before the sugar drinks began, the rats were enrolled in a five-day training session in a complicated maze. After six weeks on the sweet solution, the rats were then placed back in the maze to see how they fared.

Sugar & The Brain

A closer look at the rat brains revealed that those who were not fed DHA supplements had also developed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar and regulates brain function. “Because insulin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the hormone may signal neurons to trigger reactions that disrupt learning and cause memory loss,” Gomez-Pinilla said. In other words, eating too much fructose could interfere with insulin’s ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar, which is necessary for processing thoughts and emotions. Everyone is always focused on the effect of high-fructose corn syrup on weight gain and obesity, but this study shows that a high-fructose diet not only harms the body, but harms the brain as well.

What Kind of Sugar Is Most Damaging?

High-fructose corn syrup is commonly found in soda, condiments, applesauce, baby food and other processed snacks. What is worse is that the average American consumes more than 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of high-fructose corn syrup per year, according to the US Department of Agriculture. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is saturated with sugar, high omega-6 fatty acids, excessive calories, trans fats, processed and pesticide-laden foods. People who have a simple, carbohydrate-based diet (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, fruit juice and sugar) have a 400% increased risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. New research has also linked a sugar-laden diet to Alzheimer’s disease, which some scientists are now calling “type 3 diabetes.” Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity are national health epidemics that continue to grow. The answer is NOT to see them as individual, separate disorders, but rather as different outcomes of the same unhealthy lifestyle that have exactly the same cure. The best way to prevent Alzheimer’s is to eliminate all the risk factors that are associated with the disease—and the good news is that most of them are either preventable or treatable.

We Can Help

Being serious about brain health has no age limit, especially when a better brain can help improve your focus, mood, and memory. You can create a brain-healthy life by learning how to love and care for the most important part of your body- your brain. To learn how we can optimize your health, please call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit us online to schedule a visit. Memory is the fabric of our souls. It houses our joys, our hurts, and all of life’s lessons. It enables us to recall the important events in our lives. Memory also provides us with a sense of purpose that gives our lives meaning. Our memory is so integral to who we are that it’s easy to take it for granted. But when our memory is damaged, the costs can be high. A deteriorating memory can rob us of our ability to make good decisions and disconnect us from those we love. Memory problems limit our success at work and steal our independence. When memory risk factors like high stress, lack of sleep, and an unhealthy diet aren’t addressed, it can lead to memory loss and symptoms dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia—estimated to account for 60 to 80 percent of cases. However, other forms of dementia also create serious problems. They include: Vascular dementia – the second most common type of dementia, vascular dementia typically occurs as a result of one or more strokes that have created blockages to the brain’s blood vessels. Lewy body dementia – refers to both Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, abnormal protein deposits that disrupt the brain’s normal functioning. Frontotemporal lobe dementia – is precipitated by progressive nerve cell loss in the frontal or temporal lobes, stemming from various uncommon disorders that cause the affected lobes to atrophy. Though there are different forms of dementia, many of their symptoms are the same. Here are 9 early warning signs of dementia:

1. Difficulty performing familiar tasks

People can get distracted and sometimes forget an ingredient when they’re cooking. A person with early warning signs of dementia may have trouble remembering all the ingredients and even how to cook their favorite dish.

2. Problems with words and language

People can stumble over words sometimes. That’s natural. But someone with early warning signs of dementia may completely forget an obvious word, use an inappropriate word, and may even be difficult to understand. They may also have trouble understanding you.

3. Disorientation of time and place

Someone with early symptoms of dementia may have trouble remembering how to get to a familiar place or forget where they are.

4. Decreased judgment

Someone with early warning signs of dementia may start neglecting their hygiene and grooming. He or she may have used to style their hair, and now you rarely see them put together, not even for special occasions.

5. Gradual memory loss

It’s normal to occasionally forget an appointment. But someone with early warning signs of dementia will completely forget appointments more often than normal and totally forget what they are for.

6. Misplacing things

Everyone misplaces their keys and phone sometimes. A person with early warning signs of dementia may leave them in unusual places and may even become suspicious and accuse someone else of hiding or stealing their things.

7. Problems with abstract thinking

Sometimes people forget to pay a bill. Hopefully, that’s a rare occurrence. A person with early warning signs of dementia may have difficulty handling money, paying bills, and even understanding what the numbers mean.

8. Personality changes

Everyone can be moody at times. A person with early warning signs of dementia may have more intense mood swings, more often.

9. Loss of initiative, apathy

It’s natural for people to sometimes not want to be social. A person with early warning signs of dementia may lose interest in social activities and hobbies. They may become more isolated and withdrawn. Have you noticed any of the above warning signs in yourself or a loved one? To get a better idea of how healthy your memory is, try taking a memory assessment. Did you know that in spite of the natural aging process, you actually have a choice in how fast your brain ages? Your behavior and habits can speed up or slow down the rate at which your brain declines with age. Being mentally and physically active, eating nutritious foods and avoiding unhealthy habits can help you maintain optimal brain health and ward off dementia. The best way to sharpen recall, reduce brain atrophy, and eliminate all of the risk factors that steal the mind is with a BRIGHT MINDS approach, which addresses memory problems, aging and Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Program based on Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach, check it out HERE. To schedule a visit with our clinic, please call 888-288-9834 or tell us more online. The brain-body connection is real and more apparent than you might think. While some disease is hereditary, bad health is often born out of unhealthy choice and behaviors. When your brain suffers, so does your body, but it’s never too late to change your brain, and your life. Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple by 2050, and there is no cure on the horizon. Alzheimer’s disease affects 50 percent of people age eighty-five and older. If you are fortunate to live until you are eighty-five or beyond you have a one-in-two chance of losing your mind along the way. To make matters worse, recent brain-imaging research has demonstrated that Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia actually start in the brain decades before you have any symptoms. Depression is one of the greatest killers of our time. It affects 50 million Americans at some point in their lives and has increased 400 percent since 1987. Depression is associated with suicide, divorce, job failure, heart disease, obesity, and dementia. Depression doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in women and quadruples it in men. Attention deficit disorder (ADD), also called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is now being diagnosed more frequently than ever. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that nearly one in five high-school-age boys and 11 percent of school-age children overall have received a diagnosis of ADD, including an estimated 6.4 million children between the ages of six and seventeen. Many people underestimate the devastating consequences of ADD. Yet, when left untreated, it is associated with school underachievement and failure (35 percent never finish high school), drug and alcohol abuse, job failure, divorce, incarceration, obesity, depression, and dementia. Obesity is a serious national crisis with two-thirds of Americans over- weight and one-third obese. Obesity increases inflammation, which is a low-level fire in the body that destroys our organs and is a risk factor for more than thirty medical illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, depression, and dementia. There are many published studies, including two by the research team at Amen Clinics, that report as your weight goes up, the size and function of your brain go down. If you are not a warrior for the health of your brain and the brains of those who depend on you, ADD, depression, dementia, premature aging, diabetes, obesity, and premature death are the consequences for your loved ones and yourself. Do not be a victim; if you are ready to start fighting for yourself and your loved ones we can help you! Call Amen Clinics at 888-288-9834 or visit us at online. Mental fog can have a lot of causes, but one of the more surprising and distressing culprits is Lyme disease. Yes, the bite of an infected tick can lead not just to flu-like symptoms and fatigue, but also to grasping for words, forgetting directions moments after hearing them and a general sense of mental slowness. Lyme is just one example of how protecting your brain is tied to bolstering your body’s immunity. This natural defense system is designed to fight off outside invaders like bacteria (the cause of Lyme), viruses and parasites. It also helps you tolerate allergenic triggers like pollen, peanuts and bee stings, as well as internal attacks from autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Treating infections and autoimmune disorders is an important and often overlooked path to a clearer, sharper memory. When you support your immune system, your reward is also better health and well-being and less fatigue. Immunity and infection issues are addressed together in the Amen Clinics’ new BRIGHT MINDS Program, which identifies and treats the 11 risk factors that can rob you of your memory and cloud your mind. This breakthrough, science-backed program is the most effective way to better your brain, reverse forgetfulness and keep Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at bay. The 11 risks are all contained in the words BRIGHT MINDS so you can recall them easily: B – Blood Flow R – Retirement/Aging I – Inflammation G – Genetics H – Head Trauma T – Toxins
M – Mental Health I – Immunity/Infection Issues N – Neurohormone Deficiencies D – Diabesity S – Sleep Issues If your memory is foggy and you suspect an infection or immune system problem, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider and ask about these tests: Take action to shore up your immune system with these simple steps: Try an elimination diet for a month. This will tell you if you have food allergies, which could be harming your immune system: In the video below, Dr. Daniel Amen discusses immunity and infections and the role they play in rescuing your memory today! To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Program based on Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach, check it out HERE. When someone you love is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you’ll do anything to help that person. Dr. Daniel Amen recounts a story that really brought this to light in his family: I know because a number of years before David, a 62-year-old pastor, became my father-in-law, he was told he had Alzheimer’s disease. I convinced my wife, Tana, that we should evaluate her dad and scan his brain. We’re so glad we did: It turned out that instead of Alzheimer’s, David had pseudodementia, a form of depression that masquerades as Alzheimer’s. The medications he was on at the time only worsened his symptoms. With treatment, David’s depression and mental confusion lifted and his life was renewed. Mental illness is still such a taboo subject in the U.S., many people don’t know that depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic stress and other problems affecting the mind can wreak havoc on the brain and memory. A well-respected study on depressive symptoms and cognitive decline, for example, found that elderly women with six or more depressive symptoms had a 230 percent risk of cognitive deterioration. In fact, failing to seek early treatment for depression is one of the key factors that, if controlled, could prevent one in three cases of dementia, according to recent research published in the Lancet. Getting your mind right is critical if you want to get your memory back, and your whole life will benefit—your energy, self-confidence, and outlook will all improve.   You can heal your mental health issues and strengthen your memory by following Amen Clinics new BRIGHT MINDS Program. This research-based program identifies and provides treatment for the 11 risk factors that damage your mind and memory. The risks are summed up in the words BRIGHT MINDS, which makes it simple to remember them: B – Blood Flow R – Retirement/Aging I – Inflammation G – Genetics H – Head Trauma T – Toxins
M – Mental Health I – Immunity/Infection Issues N – Neurohormone Deficiencies D – Diabesity S – Sleep Issues The most important step is to get treated for any mental illness you may have. Schedule a visit to your health-care provider to discuss your mental health and decide whether you need to be evaluated by a local therapist or psychiatrist. Addressing your problem doesn’t necessarily mean taking psychiatric drugs. At Amen Clinics we recommend natural treatments whenever possible. However, if they aren’t working, it’s important to consider medications. We have found that neurofeedback and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can also be helpful for depression and other mental health issues. One lab test we recommend is the Omega-3 Index, which measures the red-blood-cell levels of EPA and DHA, two fatty acids critical to the brain and emotional health. You can do a lot to improve your mental and emotional health. Here are easy steps to take: Start every day with the phrase, “Today is going to be a great day”; positive self-talk has a powerful influence on the brain For general mental health support, use more saffron (which helps mood and memory), turmeric, peppermint and cinnamon (attention) in your cooking. And boost your diet for these specific issues: In the video below, Dr. Daniel Amen discusses toxins and the role they play in rescuing your memory today! Be vigilant about your brain health and you could be rewarded with excellent recall and many dementia-free years. To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Program based on Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach, check it out HERE. Can there be anything more heart-wrenching than watching a parent struggle with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? Or more anxiety-provoking than wondering if Alzheimer’s is in your future—especially if you notice your memory slipping? The risk is real: If you have a family member who has (or had) AD—especially if it’s a first-degree relative like a mom, a dad or a sibling—you’re 3.5 times more likely to develop symptoms than someone with no family history. There are several genes that are known to increase production of the sticky beta-amyloid plaques of Alzheimer’s or the tangles of tau protein that disrupt brain cell function. But even if you have one of the e4 versions of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, there is a 75 percent chance you won’t get Alzheimer’s! Research shows that having an APOE e4 is not an unavoidable dementia death sentence. Learning how to protect yourself and your brain is what the Amen Clinics’ new BRIGHT MINDS Program is all about. Genetics is the fourth of the 11 risk factors that you need to be aware of if you want to keep your mind sharp for the rest of your life. Studies show that knowing your personal vulnerabilities and addressing each one is the most effective way to prevent Alzheimer’s and memory loss—or to get your memory back when it’s weakened. Here are all 11 risks contained in the words BRIGHT MINDS, which is a simple and effective way to remember them: B – Blood Flow R – Retirement/Aging I – Inflammation G – Genetics H – Head Trauma T – Toxins
M – Mental Health I – Immunity/Infection Issues N – Neurohormone Deficiencies D – Diabesity S – Sleep Issues If you have family members with dementia or Alzheimer’s, consider having a test for your APOE gene status so that if you do have one or two e4 variants, you can work wholeheartedly to reduce your other risk factors. Discuss with your physician whether you need to have further genetic testing if there’s a family history of early-onset memory problems. It’s also wise to reduce your genetic risk with these strategies: In the video below, Dr. Daniel Amen discusses genetics and the role they play in rescuing your memory today!   Be hypervigilant about your brain health and you could be rewarded with excellent recall and many dementia-free years. To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Program based on Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach, check it out HERE. Most of us assume that as we get older our memory is bound to deteriorate like an old radio with faulty reception. We figure that losing keys, struggling with names and other signs of forgetfulness are the natural outcome of having lived past 60. This common attitude is usually summed up with a shoulder shrug and four words: “What can you do?” The two-word answer: a lot. Even when your memory has already started unraveling. Even though aging is the single most important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. Mental decline is not a foregone conclusion as you age. You can have a vibrant, agile memory long past retirement. You just have to be serious about protecting it. Take Sherman, a 71-year-old artist who came to see us at Amen Clinics because his memory and decision-making had been slipping and he felt increasingly estranged from himself. We evaluated him using our new BRIGHT MINDS Program, which is designed to identify and treat all 11 risk factors that contribute to memory problems. Here is what the words BRIGHT MINDS stand for: B – Blood Flow R – Retirement/Aging I – Inflammation G – Genetics H – Head Trauma T – Toxins
M – Mental Health I – Immunity/Infection Issues N – Neurohormone Deficiencies D – Diabesity S – Sleep Issues In addition to being 20 pounds overweight, Sherman had a number of BRIGHT MINDS vulnerabilities, including low blood flow to his brain on SPECT imaging as well as high blood glucose, homocysteine and ferritin, or iron—all tied to faster aging. Sherman took his situation seriously and donated blood to lower his iron, adopted our Memory Rescue Diet (more on that, below) and started exercising. Within three months he had lost 22 pounds and felt his memory had improved; within six months he was healthier than before his problems had started. In addition to getting older, the general risk factors associated with living past retirement age are: It’s a good idea to have a checkup with your health-care provider to evaluate your current state of health. Request these specific lab tests: You can take these simple steps to make sure your mind and memory are sharp for years to come: Watch this video below to hear Dr. Daniel Amen explain the important role retirement and aging plays in BRIGHT MINDS & how to prevent memory problems. To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Program based on Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS approach, check it out HERE. Maybe you’re finding it more and more difficult to hold your train of thought in conversations… or you can’t make your favorite chicken dish anymore because the recipe is too hard to follow… or your brain feels foggy… or perhaps you’ve forgotten important appointments and you’re starting to worry about your memory. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? If not for you, for your mom or dad, a friend, or perhaps a grandparent? Memory loss is incredibly common and not just in the elderly—but it is not inevitable. We know because our team at Amen Clinics have helped thousands of people rescue their memories. We know what works not just because patients tell us but also because we’ve done before-and-after brain scans that reveal the improvements. That’s how we know you can get your memory back—and reap a lot of other benefits, too, like boosting your energy, slimming down, sleeping a lot better, reversing the signs of aging and avoiding life-threatening illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Preventing Alzheimer’s disease is a compelling reason to act now: There is no cure (and drugs haven’t helped much), the incidence is predicted to triple over the next 30 years, and any individual who reaches the age of 85 has a 50 percent chance of being diagnosed with either Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. The solution is to attack all of the risk factors that can steal your mind and memory. Amen Clinics Memory Rescue: BRIGHT MINDS program, is represented by a mnemonic, or memory aid, that summarizes the risk factors:
B – Blood Flow (cardiovascular disease, hypertension, lack of exercise and more) R – Retirement/Aging (increasing age, lack of new learning) I – Inflammation (gum disease, high C-reactive protein [CRP] levels in your blood and more) G – Genetics (having the e4 version of the APOE gene and more) H – Head Trauma (history of head injuries with or without loss of consciousness and more) T – Toxins (alcohol or drug abuse, exposure to toxins in the environment or in personal-care products and more)   M – Mental Health (chronic stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and more) I – Immunity/Infection Issues (chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune issues, untreated infections and more) N – Neurohormone Deficiencies (low levels of thyroid, testosterone in males and females, estrogen and progesterone in females and more) D – Diabesity (diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity) S – Sleep Issues (chronic insomnia and sleep apnea)
And the BRIGHT MINDS program addresses each of these risk factors with easy, effective lifestyle interventions, including a brain-healthy diet, exercise, targeted supplements and brain games/exercises. Accumulating research is showing that this simple yet multi-pronged approach is the best way to strengthen your memory, dial back brain aging and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Our research on former NFL players with traumatic brain injuries showed that a BRIGHT MINDS plan could reverse brain damage, improving memory and other cognitive functions. Recently, the two-year FINGER study found that a combination of a healthy diet, physical activity, cognitive training and social activities prevented cognitive decline in more than 1,200 at-risk men and women. To learn more about Amen Clinics Memory Rescue: BRIGHT MINDS Program, check it out HERE. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is saturated with sugar, high omega-6 fatty acids, excessive calories, trans fats, processed and pesticide-laden foods. People who have a simple, carbohydrate-based diet (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, fruit juice and sugar) have a 400% increased risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. New research has also linked a sugar-laden diet to Alzheimer’s disease, which some scientists are now calling “type 3 diabetes.” Some of the most common risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease include: obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, smoking, using drugs or alcohol, sleep apnea, insomnia, and low estrogen, testosterone, or thyroid. And, lest you think that only your memory is at stake, insulin resistance has linked Alzheimer’s with a wide array of behavioral and mood disorders including: depression, panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, and ADHD. Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity are national health epidemics that continue to grow. The answer is NOT to see them as individual, separate disorders, but rather as different outcomes of the same unhealthy lifestyle that have exactly the same cure. The best way to prevent Alzheimer’s is to eliminate all of the risk factors that are associated with the disease—and the good news is that most of them are either preventable or treatable!

Adopting these five brain-healthy strategies can help protect you from premature aging:

So Long, Sugar

Sugar is not your friend. Sugar produces inflammation in your body, increases erratic brain cell firing, and sends your blood sugar levels on a roller-coaster ride. If you’re in an abusive relationship with sugar, break it off today!

Brain Healthy Breakfast

A balanced breakfast (including protein) helps to keep the blood sugar balanced so that you can make smart decisions about how to take care of your brain and body.

Feed Your Second Brain

 There’s a reason your gut is considered your second brain. Intestinal problems increase inflammation—that low-level fire that destroys your organs—and increases your risk for depression, worry, chronic pain and poor cognitive health. To balance your gut health, eat fermented foods or take a high-quality probiotic supplement.

Lean Protein

Lean protein provides the necessary building blocks for brain health. For optimal brain function, include more healthy proteins in your diet, including: beans, spinach, raw nuts, free-range eggs and omega-3 rich salmon.

Eat Brain Berries

Wild blueberries, nicknamed “brain berries” by neuroscientists, have high amounts of antioxidants and are known to protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Being serious about brain health has no age limit, especially when a better brain can help improve your focus, mood, and memory. You can create a brain-healthy life by learning how to love and care for the most important part of your body…your brain.

How Brain SPECT Imaging Can Help

Brain SPECT imaging looks at the functioning of the brain. It can tell us if your brain is healthy, experiencing accelerated aging, injured, overactive, or underactive. Without imaging and other assessments, there’s really no way to know what’s going on inside your brain. Although getting older is unavoidable, aging is optional. To learn how we can help you prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia, call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit us online to schedule a visit.

Neuroimaging shows increased blood flow in regions of the brain associated with memory and learning for people with higher omega-3 levels, according to a new report in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Amsterdam, NL, May 19, 2017 – The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is expected to triple in the coming decades and no cure has been found. Recently, interest in dietary approaches for prevention of cognitive decline has increased. In particular, the omega-3 fatty acids have shown anti-amyloid, anti-tau and anti-inflammatory actions in the brains of animals. In a new article published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers have found that for patients with high omega-3 levels, blood flow in specific areas of the brain is increased. “This study is a major advance in demonstrating the value of nutritional intervention for brain health by using the latest brain imaging,” commented George Perry, PhD, Dean and Professor of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Single photon emission computed tomography, or SPECT, can measure blood perfusion in the brain. Images acquired from subjects performing various cognitive tasks will show higher blood flow in specific brain regions. When these images were compared to the Omega-3 Index, a measure of the blood concentration of two omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), investigators found a statistically significant correlation between higher blood flow and higher Omega-3 Index. In addition, they evaluated the neuropsychological functions of the subjects and found that omega-3 levels also correlated with various psychological feelings using a standardized test battery (WebNeuro). This study drew from a random sample of 166 participants from a psychiatric referral clinic for which Omega-3 Index results were available. The participants were categorized into two groups of higher EPA+DHA concentrations (>50th percentile) and lower concentrations (<50th percentile). Quantitative brain SPECT was conducted on 128 regions of their brains and each participant completed computerized testing of their neurocognitive status. Results indicated statistically significant relationships between the Omega-3 index, regional perfusion on brain SPECT in areas involved with memory, and neurocognitive testing. Overall, the study showed positive relationships between omega-3 EPA+DHA status, brain perfusion, and cognition. Lead author Daniel G. Amen, MD, of Amen Clinics Inc., Costa Mesa, CA, adds, “This is very important research because it shows a correlation between lower omega-3 fatty acid levels and reduced brain blood flow to regions important for learning, memory, depression and dementia.” Co-author William S. Harris, PhD, University of South Dakota School of Medicine. Vermillion, SD, lends this perspective, “Although we have considerable evidence that omega-3 levels are associated with better cardiovascular health, the role of the ‘fish oil’ fatty acids in mental health and brain physiology is just beginning to be explored. This study opens the door to the possibility that relatively simple dietary changes could favorably impact cognitive function.   If you suspect that you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other memory problems, Amen Clinics can help. Our experienced staff will help you learn more about your brain, support you in preventing Alzheimer’s and dementia and assist with early diagnosis and intervention. If you’re ready to take control over your future, call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.