Universite Laval researchers co-directed by professors Jasna Kriz and Frederic Calon, showed that the extent of brain damage following a stroke was reduced by 25percent in mice that consumed DHA type omega-3s daily.

The team observed that the effects of stroke were less severe in mice that had been fed a diet rich in DHA for three months than in mice fed a control diet.

In mice from the DHA group, they saw a reduction in the concentrations of molecules that stimulate tissue inflammation and, conversely, a larger quantity of molecules that prevent the activation of cell death.

How good eating may prevent a stroke

`This is the first convincing demonstration of the powerful anti-inflammatory effect of DHA in the brain,` highlighted Frederic Calon of Universite Laval`s Faculty of Pharmacy.

This protective effect results from the substitution of molecules in the neuronal membrane: DHA partially replaces arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid known for its inflammatory properties.

`The consumption of omega-3s creates an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective environment in the brain that mitigates damage following a stroke,` stated Jasna Kriz, of Universite Laval`s Faculty of Medicine.

`It prevents an acute inflammatory response that, if not controlled, is harmful to brain tissue,` Kriz added.

The study was published online in the website of the journal Stroke.

Source: ANI
Image: Flickr/creativecommons stephencummings