Red Blood Cell Fatty Acid Patterns and Cognitive Functions in Adolescents: A Pooled Analyses with Two Cohort Study Data Sets
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Objective: Fatty acids (FAs) play a pivotal role in brain development and cognitive functions during adolescence. We aimed to investigate the association of red blood cell (RBC) FA patterns and several high order neuropsychological functions in adolescents. Methods: The study followed a cross-sectional design. Principal component analysis was applied to 22 FA species previously measured in RBC membranes (exposure variable) to identify FA principal components (PCs) from two cohorts of adolescents in Catalonia, Spain (mean age = 14.53 years). Multiple linear regression was then used to examine associations between PC FAs and cognitive outcomes—working memory, fluid intelligence, and risky decision-making (gain and loss domains). Regression models were adjusted for child sex, age, body mass index, maternal education, and cohort enrollment. Results: Three FA PCs (eigenvalues > 2.0) were retained for the current study: a very-long chain FAs PC, a long-chain omega-6 FA PC and an omega-3 FA PC. The omega-3 FA PC showed a positive association with scores of fluid intelligence (β1 = 0.14, CI = 0.05, 0.24, p for trend = 0.003) and risky decision-making (loss domain) (β1 = 0.27, CI = 0.03, 0.52, p for trend = 0.030). The very-long chain FAs and long-chain omega-6 FAs patterns showed no significant associations with any cognitive outcome. The PC of omega-3 FA and fluid intelligence associations remained significant after multiple testing corrections. Conclusions: After applying an agnostic approach of multiple FAs in RBC, we found omega-3 FA patterns were positively associated with fluid intelligence among adolescents.
Source: Nutrients
DOI: 10.3390/nu17213483
Institutions: Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Hospital Del Mar, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Fatty Acid Research Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,499
Funders: Fundació la Marató de TV3, Centres de Recerca de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Awards: G1005157577, Entorno Urbano y Salud Cardiometabólica desde el Nacimiento hasta la Adolescencia (UrbaMet), G1187538746, G1298559095, G1363398164, G1397335913, El rol del consumo de pescado y frutos secos en el neurodesarrollo humano desde el embarazo hasta la adolescencia (NutinBrain), G1564067921, G1585958176, G1605628804, G1622782223, G1632783612, G1742557123, G1861521719, G1892042234, G1924246880, G1987749308, G203129345, G2038104832, G2064873908, G2072863431, G2206155153, G2347312180, G2355262757, G2382355258, G2387096677, G2403414962, Ácidos grasos, polución atmosférica y desarrollo neuropsicológico (Omega-Brain), G2462415295, G2478429744, G2553663979, G2605948900, G2648783447, G2651899972, G2675931491, G2708544407, G2739427300, G2819494518, Exposiciones ambientales a edad temprana y riesgo cardiovascular del adolescente (INMA-Cardio), G2821507957, G288263039, G2971876348, G3005324705, G3051343695, G3180955038, G3233413551, G323776734, G3285691745, G3396850645, G3546882995, G3624472861, G3662005835, G3779966032, G3810626647, G3839321971, G4030289595, G410571670, G4216557025, G451917667, G4749042089, Campos electromagnéticos de radiofrecuencia, ruido y trastornos del sueño en la adolescencia – Proyecto INMA-Ado-Sueño, G4909233925, G5000828053, G5309516797, G5360591901, G5511815113, G5539308778, G5642166658, Efecto de la exposición a múltiples disruptores endocrinos sobre la función pulmonar y el asma desde la infancia hasta la adolescencia- Proyecto INMA-Ado-Respi, G5840542394, G5852091828, G586812122, G5893827543, G5913267992, G5967599077, G6006166778, G6033091583, G6161686682, G621070573, G630635040, G6329861870, G6374753769, G6424610346, G6451420786, G6456681796, Ventanas de vulnerabilidad pre-natal y post-natal en el riesgo de retraso en el neurodesarrollo asociado a la contaminación particulada del aire., G6656126374, G6698435785, G6718611501, Exposiciones a contaminación lumínica y calor y neurodesarrollo en adolescentes – Proyecto ELHNA, G6889597758, G69051668, G7028045030, G7053480309, G7244375902, G7540169140, G760317559, G7611146472, G7677760269, G7681667470, G7793665899, G7845985776, G7957963237, G7985272340, G7993947798, G8082371451, G8085315254, G8247423308, G8315508412, G8430294048, G8443852737, G8448821914, G8450998669, G8486639516, G8497139095, G8567666436, G859831218, G8637226926, G869884560, G8757203113, G891780243, G929055435, G929308097, G985971609
OpenAlex ID: W4415930908