View article

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)‐rich and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)‐rich supplementations on cognitive performance and functional brain activation.

A double‐blind, counterbalanced, crossover design, with a 30‐day washout period between two supplementation periods (EPA‐rich and DHA‐rich) was employed. Functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained during performance of Stroop and Spatial Working Memory tasks prior to supplementation and after each 30‐day supplementation period.

Both supplementations resulted in reduced ratio of arachidonic acid to EPA levels. Following the EPA‐rich supplementation, there was a reduction in functional activation in the left anterior cingulate cortex and an increase in activation in the right precentral gyrus coupled with a reduction in reaction times on the colour–word …