ReviewNutrients2016
Docosahexaenoic Acid and Cognition throughout the Lifespan.
Review in Nutrients, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 180 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
180 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 377 citations in OpenAlex.
- Fish consumption and cognitive function in aging: a systematic review of observational studies.GeroScience · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of Different Proportions of DHA and ARA on Cognitive Development in Infants: A Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2025Pooled it
- Effect of fatty acid profiles in varying recipes of ready-to-use therapeutic foods on neurodevelopmental and clinical outcomes of children (6-59 months) with severe wasting: a systematic review.Nutrition reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Mediterranean Diet Adherence, Gut Microbiota and Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.Nutrients · 2024Pooled it
- Could early life DHA supplementation benefit neurodevelopment? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Pooled it
- The Effects of Nutritional Interventions on the Cognitive Development of Preschool-Age Children: A Systematic Review.Nutrients · 2022Pooled it
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Neurodegenerative Diseases: New Evidence in Clinical Trials.International journal of molecular sciences · 2019Pooled it
- An exploration of the role of a fish-oriented diet in cognitive decline: a systematic review of the literature.Oncotarget · 2017Pooled it
- Effects of daily multivitamin-multimineral supplementation on metabolomic profiles: 2-year findings from the COSMOS randomized clinical trial.GeroScience · 2026Trial
- Fish oil-derived fatty acids during pregnancy and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children at age 10 - A randomized controlled trial.Translational psychiatry · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Multiple Micronutrients, Lutein, and Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation during Lactation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Nutrients · 2020Trial
- Supplementation-induced increase in circulating omega-3 serum levels is not associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms: Results from the MooDFOOD depression prevention trial.Depression and anxiety · 2020Trial
- Trial
- Multiple Micronutrients and Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation during Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Study.Nutrients · 2020Trial
- The intake assessment of diverse dietary patterns on childhood hypertension: alleviating the blood pressure and lipidemic factors with low-sodium seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids.Lipids in health and disease · 2020Trial
- Plasma lipidome variation during the second half of the human lifespan is associated with age and sex but minimally with BMI.PloS one · 2019Trial
- Age and IQ Explained Working Memory Performance in a RCT with Fatty Fish in a Group of Forensic Inpatients.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2018Trial
- Trial
120 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the predominant omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) found in the brain and can affect neurological function by modulating signal transduction pathways, neurotransmission, neurogenesis, myelination, membrane receptor function, synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation, membrane integrity and membrane organization. DHA is rapidly accumulated in the brain during gestation and early infancy, and the availability of DHA via transfer from maternal stores impacts the degree of DHA incorporation into neural tissues. The consumption of DHA leads to many positive physiological and behavioral effects, including those on cognition. Advanced cognitive function is uniquely human, and the optimal development and aging of cognitive abilities has profound impacts on quality of life, productivity, and advancement of society in general. However, the modern diet typically lacks appreciable amounts of DHA. Therefore, in modern populations, maintaining optimal levels of DHA in the brain throughout the lifespan likely requires obtaining preformed DHA via dietary or supplemental sources. In this review, we examine the role of DHA in optimal cognition during development, adulthood, and aging with a focus on human evidence and putative mechanisms of action.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.