CEREBROVASCULAR disease — or vascular brain disease — which impacts the blood vessels in the brain, is the fifthTrusted Source leading cause of death in the United States.
Health experts associate fish consumption with a lower risk of cerebrovascular disease and the accompanying decline in cognitive function.
A recent cross-sectional study found a link between higher fish intake and lower levels of markers for vascular brain damage in healthy older adults, especially those aged 65–74 years.
The effect of consuming fish two–three times per week on cerebrovascular disease-associated brain markers was similar in magnitude to the effect of high blood pressure, which was associated with increased vascular brain damage.
Cerebrovascular disease, or vascular brain disease, refers to multiple conditions that affect the blood vessels and blood circulation in the brain, such as stroke and vascular malformation.
Cerebrovascular disease is the secondTrusted Source leading cause of death in the world. It is also the fifthTrusted Source leading cause of death in the U.S. and was responsible for 37.6Trusted Source deaths per 100,000 individuals in the U.S. in 2017.
In addition to causing physical disability, cerebrovascular diseases can result in the development and progression of cognitive impairment and dementia.
Moreover, health experts also associate subclinical cerebrovascular damage — that is, brain abnormalities observed in the early stages of the cerebrovascular disease before its symptoms become evident — with an increased risk of dementia.
Healthy lifestyle modifications, including making dietary changes, increasing physical activity levels, and quitting smoking, can reduce the risk of cerebrovascular disease.
For instance, there is a relation between higher intake of fish and a lower risk of stroke. Fish are an excellent source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may mediate these benefits on cerebrovascular health.
However, the evidence that fish consumption reduces vascular brain damage before the onset of the cerebrovascular disease is mixed.
A recent cross-sectional study investigated the link between fish consumption and vascular brain damage in healthy older adults before cerebrovascular disease onset.
The study reports an association between eating fish two or more times per week and lower levels of brain abnormalities related to vascular brain damage, especially in individuals under the age of 75 years.
