Does Seafood Consumption Lower the Risk for Dementia?

The main risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD), age and the ApoE ℇ4 allele, offer no possibility of prevention, placing a premium on the identification of modifiable environmental factors. Research suggests that regular consumption of seafood is associated with decreased risk for incident dementia, although seafood consumption is also associated with increased levels of mercury in the brain, which is linked to neurocognitive impairment. In a cross-sectional analysis of autopsied cases, researchers examined the associations between seafood consumption, brain levels of mercury and selenium, and dementia pathologies.

The analysis focused on 286 participants in a memory and aging study who completed a dietary assessment, died betwee…