Can omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil alleviate symptoms of traumatic brain injury?
Essential for maintaining the structural balance of cell membranes.
This basically means that the maintaining a healthy amount of omega 3 fatty acids in our diet (such as those from fish oil), allows our nerve cells to communicate better. This means better mental clarity and focus, which are extremely supportive of someone sustaining a sizable brain injury from TBI.
DHA could induce cell survival, modulate neuroinflammation, and restore synaptic circuits.
Wow, those are some big terms. What does that even mean?
This means that DHA or a fatty acid compound found in fish oil, helps cells survive through the aging process or through traumatic brain injury. DHA decreases neuronal cell death and allows more cells to survive neurodegeneration (death of neurons in the brain found in Alzheimer’s or TBI).
Neuroinflammation is the inflammatory response within the brain that is initiated from TBI. Omega 3’s modulate this response, which in turn decreases inflammation and damage of cells in the brain.
DHA could also play a key role in actually repairing synaptic circuits. This means that DHA could actually restore and repair those circuits in the brain where the synapses fire and in turn help with cognitive function of those suffering from TBI.
Could normalize the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and thus, it could restore the survival of neuronal cells
In essence, BDNF or Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is an important protein that influences brain function. BDNF influences a variety of functions including: preventing death of existing brain cells, inducing the growth of new neurons and synapses, and supporting cognitive function.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003707/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257651/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24860193