American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

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Review article
First published online November 16, 2022

A Systematic Review of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Consumption and

Cognitive Outcomes in Neurodevelopment
Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, MPH, MAS, Roman Moness, […], and Ayesha Sherzai, MD  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0600-

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https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276221116052

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Abstract
Introduction: This systematic review addresses the effects of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated
fatty acids consumption on human neurodevelopment. It evaluates articles published between
2000 and 2022 investigating the cognitive outcomes during the period of neurodevelopment:
from fetal development to adolescence. For the purpose of this review the terms LC PUFA
and omega-3 fatty acid will be used interchangeably. Method: Data were sourced from
several major databases including PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, and ProQuest
Central. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), nonrandomized controlled trials, prospective
or retrospective cohort studies, and observational studies investigating the effects of omega-3
fatty acid consumption from dietary supplements, multiple-nutrient supplement, or food
questionnaire on neurodevelopment were considered. Study population was separated in three
developmental phases: (1) in-utero, (2) lactation/infancy, and (3) childhood/adolescence.
Each article was evaluated for several key factors such as study type, type/dosage of PUFAs,
number of subjects, length of intervention, participant age range, population characteristics,
outcome measure (both primary/cognitive and secondary/other), results, conclusion, and
confounding variables/limitations. Results: A total of 88 articles were included in the review,
69 RCTs and 19 longitudinal or observational studies. The results indicate equivocal effect of
intervention, with some short-term benefits observed in the areas of visual attention, working
memory, executive function, and communication. Omega-3 supplement might have a short-
term positive impact on neurodevelopment in all three phases. Supplementation is
recommended throughout life, rather than only during the earliest developmental stage.