DHA Status Associated with Cognitive Performance and Differential Patterns of Brain Activation in School Age Children
Authors: Williams Lynne J , Mulder Kelly , Fitzpatrick Kevin P.V. , Kim Daniel H.C. , Matheson Julie , Dyer Roger , Yan Jian , Innis Sheila , Bjornson Bruce H. 
Published: November 2023

We assessed the associations between DHA intake (food frequency questionnaire) and DHA status [red blood cell (RBC)‐DHA/docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, n‐6) ratio] with cognitive performance [Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC‐III)] and brain functioning [measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)] in healthy children ~6 years of age (n=62). fMRI scanning of an n‐back numbers task was conducted, consisting of control and 1‐back task conditions (96 × 96 oblique axial EPI, 3mm thickness, no gap, TR/TE = 3000/30ms). Using Behavior Partial Least Squares (bPLS), the task‐specific correlation matrix between behavior and brain activity was computed and then decomposed using singular value decomposition. This yielded condition related brain network activation patterns, which were used to assess the association between DHA status and brain functioning. Median (interquartile range) DHA intake and RBC‐DHA/DPA were 76 (40–127) mg/d and 8.9 (6.0–12), respectively. DHA intake was positively correlated with: RBC‐DHA/DPA (r=0.62, p<0.0001), KABC indicators of short‐term memory (Sequential; r=0.29, p=0.03) and general mental processing ability (Mental Performance Index; r=0.34, p=0.018); RBC‐DHA/DPA was positively correlated with the KABC Sequential (r=0.26, p=0.042). The bPLS analysis (n=34 with acceptably low head motion) produced 2 latent variables (LV), which represent underlying condition related brain network activation patterns. LV1 showed activations in the Right (R) superior frontal, R middle temporal, Left (L) middle frontal gyri and the R insula with concomitant deactivations in the R cerebellum (lobules VI and IX) and the R lateral occipital gyrus that were negatively correlated with RBC‐DHA/DPA for both the control [r (95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.39 (−0.66, −0.05)] and 1‐back [r (95% CI) = −0.36 (−0.67, −0.12)] conditions. Therefore, activations were more activated with lower RBC‐DHA/DPA, while deactivations were more deactivated with higher RBC‐DHA/DPA. LV2 showed activations in the R superior temporal gyrus and R anterior cingulate with concomitant deactivations in the R hippocampus, L fusiform, and bilateral precuneus and post‐central gyri that were negatively correlated with the control condition [r (95% CI) = −0.46 (−0.71, −0.17)] and positively correlated with the 1‐back condition [r (95% CI) = 0.43 (0.06, 0.70)]. Therefore, activations were more activated with lower RBC‐DHA/DPA in the control condition, while the same activations were more activated with higher RBC‐DHA/DPA in the 1‐back condition. Similarly, deactivated regions showed more deactivation with higher RBC‐DHA/DPA in the control condition and more deactivation with lower RBC‐DHA/DPA in the 1‐back condition. In sum, DHA intake was positively associated with some aspects of cognitive performance; DHA status was positively associated with some aspects of cognitive performance as well as differential brain activation patterns.Support or Funding InformationFunded by Nestec, S.A.