25 February 2025 Association News
Enhancing levels of ‘healthy fats’ like omega-3s in the brain could be beneficial in motor neurone disease (MND), according to new research published today (25 February) in the journal, Nature Neuroscience.
Previous studies have linked diets which contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in oily fish, nuts and seeds, with a lower risk of developing MND and longer survival in people with the disease.
A new study, led by the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at University College London, and the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, found that increasing the levels of these healthy fats in the brain cells of fruit flies carrying a change in a gene called C9orf72, saw a ‘dramatic’ increase in their survival.
C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of MND and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Cells were also collected from people with these conditions and converted into brain cells in the lab. Healthy fats also increased the survival of these MND/FTD brain cells.
Scientists say the research, which was funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK and the UK DRI, unlocks new understanding of the mechanisms underlying MND and FTD.
“The potential impact of healthy fats, like polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3s, on the risk of developing MND and the length of survival has been of interest to researchers for some time, but crucially the understanding of their impact has been limited. This research takes our knowledge on a step.
"So would giving people with MND the same type of fatty acid increase their survival rate? We don’t know yet. But it is an avenue worth exploring. The researchers must now look at which fatty acids should be tested further, in what quantities they could be effective and how they should be administered, before they carry out a clinical trial.
"We hope that further research and testing in humans will paint a clearer picture on the impact of diet on MND and other neurodegenerative diseases. In the meantime, we would advise anyone with MND to speak to their healthcare professionals before making any changes to their diet.”
About the study
Researchers measured levels of different types of fats in human brain cells and in flies carrying the C9orf72 gene mutation.
They found that the levels of poly-unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, were significantly lower in the MND/FTD flies compared with a control. These fatty acids were also reduced in brain cells from people with MND/FTD.
There are two essential fatty acids that must be consumed in food, as the human body cannot produce them. They are alpha linoleic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in flaxseed, soybean and vegetable oils such as canola oil, and linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid, found in similar foods.
Scientists found that there was a small improvement on the survival of the fruit flies when introducing linoleic acid and alpha linoleic acid to their diet, but survival increased by 83% if these fatty acids were delivered directly to their brain cells.
They repeated the experiment in cells taken from people with MND/FTD and found that increasing levels of the fatty acids in the cells prolonged survival.
“Epidemiological studies suggest that people with a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids have a lower risk of developing motor neuron disease. Our study adds a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind this.
"From our findings we can conclude that enhancing levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain may be beneficial in motor neuron disease. Of course, the next step is to test this in people. We first need to work out which specific fatty acid would be best to test in humans, and how we can deliver sufficient quantities to the brain. Then, we want to take these findings forward into a clinical trial.”