How Fish Can Protect Your Brain From Injury

Whether it was caused by a fall, a car accident, or a hit on the playing field, many of us have experienced the fuzzy, disorienting aftermath of a concussion. But what if there was a way to prevent the harmful effects of this unexpected blow? Dr. David Ma and his research team in the Department of Human Health Sciences may have the answer to that question.

Even these mild traumatic brain injuries can cause debilitating impairment and require extended recovery times. That’s why finding ways to help protect people against these types of injuries — and the loss of productivity that comes with them — has become a pressing issue.

“Total brain injuries far surpass the combined total of all chronic diseases, of cancer, heart disease and diabetes,” says Ma.  

Because brain injuries often occur from unexpected accidents that can’t be planned for, there are limited options for practical ways to prevent them. This is where Ma’s interest in dietary fats, and their role in health and disease prevention, came into play.

He and his team investigated whether a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids could help reduce the impacts of a concussion — an area of growing interest in the field of brain health. Commonly found in fish, as well as chia seeds and other plant sources, omega-3’s are known to contribute to brain development and function, making them a logical candidate for study.

While most research to date has focused on the effect of consuming omega-3s after suffering a concussion, Ma’s team asked if omega-3 supplementation can help prevent or limit brain injury.

To best mimic the expected reactions in humans, Ma used a mouse model that processes fatty acids just like humans. Three groups of mice were raised on one of three different diets: one high in omega-3s, one low in omega-3s, or one high in omega-6 fatty acids (a control diet since omega-6 do not have the same physiological effects).

In a mouse model of mild traumatic brain injury, Ma and colleagues observed the mice over the next seven days, timing how long it took each mouse to perform certain actions or behaviours, such as beginning to explore their surroundings or exhibiting reflex actions.

As expected, mice not exposed to a brain injury completed these activities the fastest. But among the exposed mice, those that consumed a diet high in omega-3s had significantly better scores than the other two diet groups. Interestingly, the biggest improvement in scores occurred during the first 24 hours after injury.

This initial 24-hour window is the "peak injury" period, when neuroinflammation is greatest and complete rest is so critical. The marked improvement observed by the researchers in the high-omega-3 diet group could point to a potential decrease in neuroinflammation that leads to a more rapid brain recovery.

In the world of sports, this means an injured athlete who would normally be sidelined for one or more games could potentially return to the field just that much more quickly.

While not statistically significant, the study also delivered other promising results. For example, even mice in the low omega-3 diet group began to explore and interact with their surroundings at least 10 minutes faster than the omega-6 control group.  The latter group also displayed the most signs of structural brain damage when brain sections were examined at the end of the study.

Omega-3 supplements are already wildly popular, offering a myriad of benefits, including supporting heart health and reducing inflammation. Now, Ma’s study’s offers exciting potential for yet another role for omega-3s: building a brain that is more resilient to injury.

“It’s yet another reason why the general public should be more mindful of their omega-3 intake,” says Ma.

Ma and colleagues recently received a five year $956,250 grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to continue their work on the link between omega-3s and brain injury protection, including a longer-term clinical trial with varsity athletes. 

Read the full article in Current Developments in Nutrition.

Read about other CBS Research Highlights.