一项新的研究表明，中年时期摄入更多富含欧米茄3脂肪酸的食物可能与更好的思维能力和大脑结构有关。研究发现，摄入欧米茄3脂肪酸较多的人在抽象推理测试中得分更高，海马体体积也更大，而海马体与记忆功能密切相关。研究结果提示，适度增加欧米茄3脂肪酸的摄入，例如每周至少吃两次鱼，可能有助于维持大脑功能，并可能降低患痴呆症的风险。然而，该研究未追踪参与者一段时间，因此尚不清楚欧米茄3脂肪酸是否能真正改善大脑功能，还是仅仅与之相关。

🤔**欧米茄3脂肪酸与大脑健康相关：**研究发现，中年时期摄入更多富含欧米茄3脂肪酸的食物的人，在抽象推理测试中得分更高，海马体体积也更大，而海马体是负责记忆功能的重要脑区。

🐟**富含欧米茄3脂肪酸的食物：**鱼类，尤其是鲑鱼、沙丁鱼、湖鳟和长鳍金枪鱼，以及亚麻籽、奇亚籽和核桃等食物富含欧米茄3脂肪酸。

🧑‍🔬**研究对象及方法：**研究对象约2000人，主要为白人成年人，平均年龄46岁，研究人员测量了参与者的欧米茄3脂肪酸水平，并进行了思维能力测试和脑部扫描。

💡**潜在益处：**研究结果提示，适度增加欧米茄3脂肪酸的摄入，例如每周至少吃两次鱼，可能有助于维持大脑功能，并可能降低患痴呆症的风险。

⚠️**研究局限性：**该研究未追踪参与者一段时间，因此尚不清楚欧米茄3脂肪酸是否能真正改善大脑功能，还是仅仅与之相关。

Medical experts have touted the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and heart health for a while now, and new research shows they may be linked to brain health too. In a new study published in Neurology, researchers found that people who eat more foods with omega-3 fatty acids in midlife may enjoy better thinking skills and better brain structure than those who eat fewer foods with the fatty acids.Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential fat the body doesn’t make, so it’s important to consume foods that are high in omega-3s, such as fish—specifically salmon, sardines, lake trout, and albacore tuna—as well as flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. Omega-3 supplements are often recommended for people who do not eat those foods.The study included around 2,000 people who did not have dementia or stroke. The majority of participants were white adults with an average age of 46, which may make it difficult to apply the findings to other races and ethnicity groups. Omega-3 fatty acid levels were measured in addition to tests of thinking skills and scans to measure brain volume.Researchers found that the people who ate higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids had higher average scores on a test of abstract reasoning and “also had larger average volumes in the hippocampus area of their brains, which plays an important role in memory,” according to a press release about the study. Because participants were not followed over time, it remains unclear whether eating omega-3 fatty acids preserves brain function or is simply associated with it.“Improving our diet is one way to promote our brain health,” study author Claudia L. Satizabal, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, says in the release. “If people could improve their cognitive resilience and potentially ward off dementia with some simple changes to their diet, that could have a large impact on public health. Even better, our study suggests that even modest consumption of omega-3 may be enough to preserve brain function. This is in line with the current American Heart Association dietary guidelines to consume at least two servings of fish per week to improve cardiovascular health.”Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.