Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Treatment of Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic neurological injury can be an event with life-changing consequences. When injury occurs in the central nervous system, there are major obstacles to regenerative processes, therefore, recovery of function is limited. At present, there are no clinical interventions that support the patient by providing neuroprotection in the immediate aftermath of injury, or specific treatments in the chronic recovery period, to restore disrupted neural circuits. Data reported over the last two decades in various models of traumatic injury show that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), limit the impact of the injury and support neural repair. DHA significantly reduces neuronal loss after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI), modulates neuroinflammation, and promotes neuroplasticity. There is now time to consider translating to the clinic these promising experimental findings, clarifying key questions that would enhance the prospect of clinical success.