Abstract
BACKGROUND: While Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids have been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), existing epidemiological evidence remains inconclusive. We aim to clarify these relationships in a large population-based cohort from the UK Biobank.
METHODS: We conducted Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to assess the association between baseline serum Omega-3 and Omega-6 levels and incident NDDs, adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.
RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 13.3 years, higher Omega-6 level at baseline was associated with a lower risk of incident Parkinson’s disease (PD) (HR = 0.76, P = 1.11E-06, 95 % CI = 0.68-0.85) and dementia (HR = 0.83, P = 8.79E-08, 95 % CI = 0.78-0.89). Elevated Omega-3 level at baseline was linked to a lower risk of incident multiple sclerosis (MS) (HR = 0.17, P = 0.001, 95 % CI = 0.06-0.48). Nominally significant associations were also observed between Omega-3 level and reduced risk of PD (HR = 0.67, P = 0.03, 95 % CI = 0.46-0.97) and dementia (HR = 0.79, P = 0.04, 95 % CI = 0.63-0.99), as well as Omega-6 and lower risk of MS (HR = 0.73, P = 0.03, 95 % CI = 0.55-0.97).
CONCLUSIONS: The large prospective study demonstrates distinct neuroprotective profiles for Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids in NDDs. These subtype-specific associations advance our understanding of nutritional factors in neurodegeneration and highlight potential avenues for targeted prevention strategies.