Composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy

Abstract

To provide a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, which can improve friendliness and / or empathy, and a method of improving friendliness and / or empathy.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, the composition containing one or more selected from the group consisting of a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid having a carbon number of 20 or more and derivatives thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for improving friendship and / or empathy. More specifically, the present invention relates to a composition for improving friendship and / or empathy, comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and derivatives thereof. The present invention also relates to a method for improving friendship and / or empathy. The present invention also relates to the use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof, for improving friendship and / or empathy. [Background technology]

[0002] People live their daily lives in relation to the society to which they belong. Therefore, maintaining and improving sociality improves people's quality of life (QOL) and leads to the creation of a richer life. Good sociality, such as building relationships with others and increasing the frequency of contact with the external environment, is thought to be influenced by an individual's friendliness and empathy toward others.

[0003] In fact, epidemiological studies have reported that empathy has a positive effect on sociability (Non-Patent Document 1), and it has been shown that improving friendliness and empathy toward others leads to improved sociability.

[0004] Such friendliness and empathy are different abilities from attention, memory, executive functions, etc., and are considered to be a type of brain function. The brain is an organ that is composed of approximately 60% lipids excluding water, and the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids that compose the cell membranes (phospholipids) of brain cells are mainly arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. However, these arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acids cannot be synthesized de novo in the animal body, and they must be ingested directly or indirectly (linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid, which are precursors of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) from the diet.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a composition having an active ingredient of arachidonic acid and / or a compound having arachidonic acid as a constituent fatty acid as a composition having a preventive or improving effect on diseases caused by a decline in brain function. However, although the effect of improving a decline in memory and learning ability, a decline in cognitive ability, emotional disorders (e.g., depression), and intellectual disabilities (e.g., dementia, specifically Alzheimer's dementia and vascular dementia) has been demonstrated, the effect on friendliness and empathy has not been demonstrated at all.

[0006] In addition, Non-Patent Document 2 discloses the effect of oral nutritional supplements containing n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids on the QOL and functional status of lung cancer patients undergoing multidisciplinary treatment (DISCUSSION). In addition, Non-Patent Document 3 discloses that long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids, which are the most abundant fatty acids in the brain, are essential for the growth and development of the brain and retina, and that the intake of fish oil supplements (containing docosahexaenoic acid and eicopentaenoic acid) by pregnant women in the pre- and postpartum period is useful for neurodevelopment in the communication domain of 4-month-old infants. In addition, Non-Patent Document 4 discloses that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in which functional connectivity of the cortex related to social cognition is reduced, and that arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may play an important role in the maturation of brain networks, suggesting that the intake of DHA and ARA improves impaired social interaction in people with autism spectrum disorder. In addition, Non-Patent Document 5 suggests that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids improve cognitive depressive symptoms. However, these studies have not demonstrated any effects on friendliness or empathy.

[0007] Thus, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids have been studied for some time. However, the effect of ingesting long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on friendliness and empathy has not been demonstrated, and many aspects remain unclear.

[0008] In addition, according to Non-Patent Document 6, exercise has been shown to improve social function, but the effects of exercise on friendliness and empathy have not been demonstrated and are unclear.

Prior technical literature

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Non-licensed literature

[0010] [Non-licensed document 1] Aging & Mental Health Vol. 12, No. 4, July 2008, 499-503 "Empathy and social functioning in late adulthood"

Non-licensed Document 2

Non-licensed Document 4

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a composition for an agent for improving friendship and / or empathy, which can improve friendship and / or empathy, which particularly affects human relationships in social life. Another aim of the present invention is to provide a method for improving friendship and / or empathy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] That is, the present invention relates to the following compositions, methods for improving friendliness and / or empathy, etc. [1] A composition for improving friendship and / or empathy, comprising one or more members selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives. [2] The composition described in [1] above, which is used for improving sociality through improving friendliness and / or empathy. [3] The composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. [4] The composition according to [3] above, wherein the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids are arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. [5] The composition according to [4] above, wherein the weight ratio of the arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid is 1 part arachidonic acid to 0.01 to 500 parts docosahexaenoic acid and 0.01 to 500 parts eicosapentaenoic acid. [6] The composition according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is evaluated using POMS2 (trademark). [7] The composition described in [6] above, wherein the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is assessed by the "Friendship" scale of POMS2 (trademark). [8] The composition according to any one of [1] to [7] above, which is used in combination with exercise. [9] The composition according to any one of the above [1] to [8], which is a food composition or a pharmaceutical composition.

[10] The food composition according to [9] above, which is a functional food, a nutritional supplement, a food for specified health uses, or a food for the elderly.

[11] A method for improving friendliness and / or empathy, comprising administering one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof.

[12] Use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof for improving friendliness and / or empathy. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, a composition for improving friendship and / or empathy can be provided, which contains as an active ingredient one or more types selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and their derivatives, which can improve friendship and / or empathy. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The composition of the present invention is a composition for improving friendship and / or empathy, which contains one or more selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids (hereinafter also referred to as LCPUFA) having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof. The composition of the present invention for improving friendship and / or empathy contains, as an active ingredient, one or more selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof. Here, derivatives of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) having 20 or more carbon atoms include, for example, esters and vinyl ethers of LCPUFA having 20 or more carbon atoms, and also include compounds having a structure in which LCPUFA having 20 or more carbon atoms are bonded, and compounds that can be separated (produced) LCPUFA having 20 or more carbon atoms by hydrolysis.

[0015] The long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid used in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it has 20 or more carbon atoms and has two or more carbon unsaturated bonds, and specifically includes at least one selected from eicosadienoic acid, eicosatrienoic acid, eicosatetraenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosadienoic acid, docosatrienoic acid, docosatetraenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, tetracosadienoic acid, tetracosatrienoic acid, tetracosatetraenoic acid, tetracosapentaenoic acid, tetracosahexaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid. The long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid.

[0016] As the derivative of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, all compounds having a structure in which a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms is bonded, and all compounds which enable the separation of a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms by hydrolysis can be used. When the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms is, for example, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and / or eicosapentaenoic acid, all compounds having a structure in which arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and / or eicosapentaenoic acid is bonded, and all compounds which enable the separation of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and / or eicosapentaenoic acid by hydrolysis can be used. Examples of the compound having a structure in which the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms is bonded, and the compound from which the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms can be separated by hydrolysis, include salts of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, such as calcium salts and sodium salts, and also include alcohol esters of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, such as methyl arachidonic acid, ethyl docosahexaenoic acid, ethyl eicosapentaenoic acid, etc. Furthermore, examples of the derivatives that can be used include triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, phospholipids, and even glycolipids, whose constituent fatty acids are partly or entirely the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms.

[0017] When the one or more selected from the group consisting of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof is at least one selected from arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and derivatives thereof, in terms of application to foods, it is desirable for the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms to be in the form of triglycerides or phospholipids, particularly derivatives in the form of triglycerides.

[0018] Therefore, in the present invention, as the derivative of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, a triglyceride (a triglyceride containing the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms) whose constituent fatty acids are partly or entirely the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms can be used. As the triglyceride containing the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, a fat or oil (triglyceride) in which the proportion of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms among the total fatty acids constituting the triglyceride is 5% by weight (w / w) or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 20% by weight or more, and most preferably 30% by weight or more is a desirable form when applied to food. The origin of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms and its derivatives is not particularly limited. For example, in the present invention, as the derivative of arachidonic acid, any fat or oil (microorganism fermented fat or oil) obtained by culturing a microorganism having the ability to produce fat or oil containing arachidonic acid (triglyceride) can be used. In addition, as derivatives of docosahexaenoic acid and / or eicosapentaenoic acid, any fish oil or concentrated fish oil from blue fish or the like that contains fats and oils (triglycerides) containing docosahexaenoic acid and / or eicosapentaenoic acid can be used.

[0019] In addition, when there are multiple types of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, the triglyceride containing the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms is preferably in a form in which the total proportion of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms among all the fatty acids constituting the triglyceride is 5% by weight (w / w) or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 20% by weight or more, and even more preferably 30% by weight or more when applied to foods.

[0020] Furthermore, the composition of the present invention more preferably contains arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid as the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms.

[0021] Furthermore, when the arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid are contained as the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, the content weight ratio of the docosahexaenoic acid to the arachidonic acid is preferably 0.01 to 500, and the content weight ratio of the eicosapentaenoic acid to the arachidonic acid is preferably 0.01 to 500. Furthermore, the content weight ratio of the docosahexaenoic acid and the eicosapentaenoic acid to the arachidonic acid is more preferably 0.05 to 100, and the content weight ratio of the docosahexaenoic acid and the eicosapentaenoic acid is even more preferably 0.1 to 50.

[0022] The composition of the present invention is a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, and it is preferable that the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is evaluated by POMS2 (Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition). POMS2 is an unregistered trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. Note that some psychological tests have different test methods depending on the target population, such as for adults or adolescents, and some have different numbers of questions during the test, such as full-item versions or shortened versions, but the test method and number of questions can be selected appropriately depending on the subject's situation.

[0023] Specifically, POMS2 measures the factors of "Tension-Anxiety (TA)," "Depression-Dejection (D)," "Anger-Hostility (AH)," "Vigor Activity (VA)," "Fatigue-Inertia (FI)," "Confusion-Bewilderment (CB)," and "Friendliness (F)."

[0024] Examples of POMS2 include the "POMS2 Full Version for Adults (Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition-Adult; POMS 2-A)" and the "POMS2 Short Version for Adults (Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition-Adult Short; POMS 2-A Short Version)" (original: Heuchert, JP et al. Japanese version: supervised translation by Yokoyama Kazuhito, Kaneko Shobo, 2015).

[0025] Mood assessment using the "POMS2 Adult Full Version", "POMS2 Adult Short Version", "POMS2 Adolescent Full Version" and "POMS2 Adolescent Short Version" is one of the tests that objectively measures the psychological state of the subject using a questionnaire. The validity of the POMS2 assessment has been confirmed in countries around the world, and it is used to understand mood changes caused by medicines, foods, exercise, relaxation, etc.

[0026] In the composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy of the present invention, the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is preferably measured using either the "POMS2 Full Version for Adults" or the "POMS2 Short Version for Adults", and it is more preferable to measure it using the "POMS2 Full Version for Adults". The "POMS2 Adult Full Version" includes items such as (1) enjoying social interactions, (2) caring about others, (3) sympathizing, (4) feeling like one is helpful to others, (5) being able to warm others, and (6) trusting others in order to measure the factor of "friendship." Of the above questions (1) to (6), questions (1) to (4) are about empathy, and can measure friendship and empathy.

[0027] The "friendliness" factor of POMS2 represents a state of mind in which one feels trust and consideration for others, and in this specification, "improved friendliness" refers to an improvement in the "friendliness" value evaluated by POMS2. In addition, in this specification, "improved empathy" refers to an improvement in at least one answer value selected from the following question items when measuring "friendliness" in POMS2: (1) enjoying social interactions, (2) caring about others, (3) feeling sympathy, and (4) feeling like one is helpful to others.

[0028] The composition of the present invention is preferably used for improving sociality through improving friendliness and / or empathy. Generally, sociality is described as a tendency to form a group and live, and a lifestyle (sociability) in which one does not stay isolated but tries to associate with people around. In this specification, "sociability" means a lifestyle (sociability) in which one tries to associate with people around, and specifically, improvement of sociality refers to an increase in the frequency of social activities such as visiting others, participating in local activities such as clubs, meeting people and talking, or eating out. In addition, improvement of sociality includes maintaining sociality and suppressing a decrease in sociality.

[0029] In addition, recent studies such as the above-mentioned Non-Patent Document 1 have reported that empathy has a positive effect on sociability through epidemiological research. Therefore, improving friendliness and / or empathy leads to improved sociability.

[0030] The composition of the present invention is used for improving friendliness and / or empathy, but is preferably used in combination with exercise. By using it in combination with exercise, the effect of improving friendliness and / or empathy can be more effectively exhibited. The exercise referred to here may be, for example, aerobic exercise such as jogging, walking, gymnastics, aerobics, etc.; resistance exercise for increasing muscle mass and strength such as squats, bench press, side raises, rowing, calf raises, and sit-ups; or flexibility exercise (stretching). The composition of the present invention is more preferably used in combination with two or more of aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and flexibility exercise, and more preferably used in combination with aerobic exercise and resistance exercise. For example, the composition of the present invention may be used in combination with at least one of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise and flexibility exercise (stretching), or may be used in combination with aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and flexibility exercise. In this case, flexibility exercise may be performed either before or after aerobic exercise and / or resistance exercise, or both before and after aerobic exercise.

[0031] The frequency and duration of the exercise may be, for example, 1 day or more per week, 5 minutes or more per day (preferably 30 minutes or more), preferably 2 days or more per week, 5 minutes or more per day (preferably 30 minutes or more), more preferably 3 days or more per week, 5 minutes or more per day (preferably 30 minutes or more), and even more preferably 5 days or more per week, 5 minutes or more per day (preferably 30 minutes or more). The frequency and / or duration of the exercise may be determined according to the subject, the type of exercise, and / or the combination of exercises. For example, in the case of aerobic exercise, it may be about 10 to 60 minutes per day, 2 to 5 days per week, and in the case of resistance exercise, it may be about 10 to 60 minutes per day, 1 to 3 days per week, and in the case of flexibility exercise, it may be about 5 to 30 minutes per day, 1 to 7 days per week.

[0032] The intensity of exercise to be combined with the composition of the present invention is preferably 2.0 METs (e.g., walking / very slowly / 17151) or more, more preferably 2.3 METs (e.g., stretching / relaxed / 02101) or more, and even more preferably 3.5 METs (e.g., resistance weight training / 02054) or more. The load of exercise is preferably determined according to the subject. (For the intensity of exercise, see the "Revised METs Table for Physical Activity (National Institute of Health and Nutrition 2012)".)

[0033] The composition of the present invention is preferably a food composition or a pharmaceutical composition. Examples of food compositions include general foods, functional foods, nutritional supplements, foods for specified health uses, formulas for premature babies, formulas for infants, foods for infants, foods for pregnant women, or foods for the elderly. Of these, it is preferable that the food composition of the present invention is a functional food, nutritional supplement, food for specified health uses, or food for the elderly.

[0034] The food is preferably one containing fats and oils, for example, natural foods that inherently contain fats and oils such as meat, fish, or nuts, foods to which fats and oils are added during cooking such as soup, foods that use fats and oils as a heat medium such as donuts, fat and oil foods such as butter, processed foods to which fats and oils are added during processing such as cookies, foods to which fats and oils are sprayed or applied during processing and finishing such as hard biscuits, etc. Furthermore, the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, can be added to agricultural foods, fermented foods, livestock foods, marine foods, or beverages that do not contain fats and oils.

[0035] Furthermore, the composition of the present invention may be in the form of a functional food, pharmaceutical, or quasi-drug, and may be in a processed form such as an enteral nutrient, powder, granules, lozenges, oral liquid, suspension, emulsion, syrup, etc. The food composition of the present invention comprises one or more types selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, preferably comprising at least one type of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and compounds having these as constituent fatty acids, and can be labeled as having an effect of improving friendship and / or empathy or an effect based on said effect. Such indications may include maintaining or improving cognitive empathy, maintaining or improving emotional empathy, enjoying social interactions, caring for others, sympathizing, feeling useful to others, being warm towards others, trusting others, maintaining or improving compassion, maintaining or improving desire to participate in society, maintaining or improving sociability, maintaining or improving communication skills, maintaining or improving listening skills, maintaining or improving dialogue skills, etc.

[0036] The composition of the present invention contains one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, and preferably contains at least one of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and compounds having these as constituent fatty acids as the active ingredients, but may also contain various carriers and additives generally used in foods and beverages, medicines, or quasi-drugs. In particular, it is preferable to contain an antioxidant for the purpose of preventing oxidation of the active ingredients. Examples of antioxidants include natural antioxidants such as tocopherols, flavone derivatives, phyllodulcins, kojic acid, gallic acid derivatives, catechins, butterbur acid, gossypol, pyrazine derivatives, sesamol, guaiaol, guaiac acid, p-coumaric acid, nordhydroguaiatetic acid, sterols, terpenes, nucleic acid bases, carotenoids, and lignans, as well as synthetic antioxidants such as ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbyl stearate, butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), mono-t-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), and 4-hydroxymethyl-2,6-di-t-butylphenol (HMBP).

[0037] Examples of tocopherols include α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, tocopherol, and tocopherol esters (tocopherol acetate, etc.). Examples of carotenoids include β-carotene, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin.

[0038] Examples of the carriers include various carriers, extenders, diluents, bulking agents, dispersants, excipients, binder solvents (e.g., water, ethanol, vegetable oils), solubilizers, buffers, dissolution promoters, gelling agents, suspending agents, wheat flour, rice flour, starch, corn starch, polysaccharides, milk proteins, collagen, rice oil, lecithin, etc. Examples of the additives include vitamins, sweeteners, organic acids, colorants, flavorings, moistening inhibitors, fiber, electrolytes, minerals, nutrients, antioxidants, preservatives, fragrances, humectants, natural food extracts, vegetable extracts, etc., but are not limited thereto.

[0039] The daily intake of the composition of the present invention is preferably 0.001 g to 20 g, more preferably 0.01 g to 10 g, even more preferably 0.05 to 5 g, and particularly preferably 0.1 g to 2 g, per adult (e.g., body weight 60 kg) per day, calculated as the intake amount of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms. In particular, it is preferable that the total intake amount of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid is within the above range.

[0040] When the active ingredient of the present invention is actually applied to food and drink, the absolute amount of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms to be added to the food is also important. However, since the absolute amount to be added to the food and drink also changes depending on the intake of the food and drink to be added, when a triglyceride containing a triglyceride in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms is added to a food, it is preferable to add it so that it is 0.001% by weight or more as long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, more preferably 0.01% by weight or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by weight or more. In addition, it is preferable to add it so that it is 90% by weight or less as long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, more preferably 85% by weight or less, and even more preferably 80% by weight or less.

[0041] When the composition of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical, it can be produced according to a method commonly used in the field of pharmaceutical technology, for example, a method described in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia or a method analogous thereto. When the composition of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical product, the amount of the active ingredient contained in the composition is not particularly limited as long as the object of the present invention is achieved, and any suitable blending ratio can be used. When the composition of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical, it is desirable to administer it in a dosage unit form, and oral administration is particularly preferred.

[0042] The dosage of the composition of the present invention will vary depending on age, body weight, symptoms, number of administrations, etc., but for example, for an adult (approximately 60 kg), it is usually 0.001 g to 20 g, preferably about 0.01 g to 10 g, more preferably about 0.05 to 5 g, and even more preferably about 0.1 g to 2 g, calculated as a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, per day, administered in divided doses once to three times a day.

[0043] Regarding the method for producing foods and beverages having the effect of improving friendship and / or empathy, for example, there is a method of blending long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and / or derivatives thereof alone into food and beverage ingredients that are substantially free of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms. Note that food and beverage ingredients that are substantially free of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms include foods and beverages that contain long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms but whose daily intake, calculated as the amount of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, does not reach 0.001 g.

[0044] The subject of application (which can also be called the administration subject) of the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and can be applied to humans or non-human mammals, etc., but humans are preferred. Examples of the subject of application include subjects who wish or need to improve friendliness and / or empathy, subjects who wish or need to improve sociality through improvement of friendliness and / or empathy, etc. Examples of such subjects include healthy adults and healthy middle-aged and elderly people who are found to have a decrease in friendliness and / or empathy. In this specification, middle-aged and elderly people mean adults aged 40 or more. In recent years, the proportion of elderly people has been increasing in countries such as Japan, and the extension of healthy life expectancy and improvement of quality of daily life (QOL) have become issues. For example, it is expected that improving the sociality of elderly people can also contribute to improving the healthy life expectancy and QOL of elderly people. Therefore, healthy elderly people are preferred as the subject of application (which can also be called the administration subject) of the composition of the present invention. In this specification, elderly people may be adults aged 60 or more.

[0045] The present invention also encompasses the following uses and methods. Use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendship and / or empathy containing said compounds, for improving friendship and / or empathy. Use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy containing said compounds, for improving sociality through the improvement of friendliness and / or empathy. A method for improving friendship and / or empathy, comprising the step of administering to a subject one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendship and / or empathy containing such compounds. A method for improving sociality through improved friendliness and / or empathy, comprising the step of administering to a subject one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy containing such compounds.

[0046] In the above-mentioned uses and methods, the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms and its derivatives, the composition of the present invention, the subject to which the composition is administered, and preferred embodiments thereof are the same as those in the above-mentioned composition of the present invention. In the above-mentioned uses and methods, the composition of the present invention can be used in the form of the above-mentioned foods and beverages, pharmaceuticals, etc. The use may be a therapeutic or a non-therapeutic use. The methods may be therapeutic or non-therapeutic. Non-therapeutic is a concept that does not include medical procedures, ie, surgery, treatment or diagnosis of humans. All academic and patent literature cited herein is hereby incorporated by reference. EXAMPLES

[0047] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0048] (Example 1, Comparative Examples 1 and 2) <Preparation of test foods> A long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA)-containing oil was produced by combining edible oil (triglyceride) containing arachidonic acid obtained by aerating and culturing the Mortierella genus microorganism with oil (triglyceride) containing DHA and EPA extracted from fish, with a weight ratio of arachidonic acid (ARA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) of 6:15:5.

[0049] 100 parts by weight of gelatin and 30 parts by weight of food additive glycerin were added with water and dissolved at 50 to 60°C to prepare a base material for soft capsule shell. Next, using the obtained LCPUFA-containing oil, capsule molding and drying were performed by a conventional method to produce soft capsules containing 180 mg of contents per capsule (size of one capsule: major axis 10.7 mm x minor axis 7.0 mm), and LCPUFA-containing foods with ARA 120 mg, DHA 300 mg, and EPA 100 mg per six capsules were produced. As a control food for clinical trials, soft capsules containing refined olive oil as the contents were produced. To prevent deterioration such as oxidation, the LCPUFA-containing food and the control food were individually packaged in aluminum pouches in groups of six, and the number required for the clinical trial was prepared.

[0050] <Clinical Trials> A placebo-controlled, single-blind, parallel-group comparative study was conducted on healthy elderly people aged 60-79 years (without exercise habits) who were informed of the consent to participate in the study and provided their consent. The subjects were assigned to three groups: no exercise + control food (Comparative Example 1), exercise + control food (Comparative Example 2), and exercise + LCPUFA-containing food (Example 1), and each group underwent exercise and test food intake intervention for 24 weeks. The exercise group performed 30 minutes / day of resistance exercise (squats, bench presses, side raises, rowing, calf raises, and sit-ups, each at approximately 10RM, for 3-5 sets) for 2 days / week and 30 minutes / day of aerobic exercise (walking, 12-13 RPE) for 3 days / week. For both exercises, flexibility exercises (stretching) were performed before and after the main exercise to warm up and cool down. The non-exercise group was not actively exercised, and only activities of daily life were performed. Six capsules of the test food (control food or LCPUFA-containing food) were taken daily with a sufficient amount of water or lukewarm water. Mood states were assessed before and after the intervention using the Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2), which has been validated around the world, to evaluate the impact of the intervention on mood states. POMS2 has seven subscales, and among them, "Friendship" is composed of questions such as "Enjoying social interactions," "Caring about others," "Sympathizing," "Feeling helpful to others," "Can be warm to others," and "Trust others," allowing for the assessment of friendliness and empathy.

[0051] <Analysis results> The subjects who completed the intervention were 28 in the no exercise + control food group, 27 in the exercise + control food group, and 21 in the exercise + LCPUFA-containing food group. The results of the POMS2 test for "friendship" (T-score) are shown in Table 1. The results of the above tests are scores calculated by summing up the raw scores for the POMS2 questions on "friendship" using a conversion table standardized by gender and age (T-score), with an average of 50 points. The mean ± standard error before the intervention was 50.9 ± 1.8 points for the no exercise + control food group, 51.8 ± 2.4 points for the exercise + control food group, and 47.7 ± 2.1 points for the exercise + LCPUFA-containing food group, with no significant difference between the three groups. There was no significant change before and after the intervention in the no exercise + control food group and the exercise + control food group, and no significant improvement in "friendship" evaluated by POMS2 due to exercise was observed. On the other hand, the group that exercised and ate foods containing LCPUFA showed a significant increase of 6.6 points. As such, only the group that consumed LCPUFA showed an improvement in this index, confirming the usefulness of LCPUFA intake in improving friendliness and empathy.

[0052] [Table 1] The above results are shown as mean ± standard error. (No exercise + control food group: n=28, exercise + control food group: n=27, exercise + LCPUFA-containing food group: n=21) a) No significant difference between the three groups (one-way analysis of variance) b) Significant difference compared to before intervention (** p<0.01 paired t-test)

Claims

1. Contains at least one selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof; Compositions for improving friendliness and / or empathy.

2. The composition according to claim 1, which is used for improving sociality through improving friendliness and / or empathy.

3. 3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.

4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids are arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.

5. The composition according to claim 4, wherein the weight ratio of the arachidonic acid, the docosahexaenoic acid and the eicosapentaenoic acid is 1:1, the docosahexaenoic acid is 0.01 to 500, and the eicosapentaenoic acid is 0.01 to 500.

6. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is assessed by POMS2 (trademark).

7. 7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the improved friendliness and / or empathy is assessed by the "Friendship" scale of the POMS2™.

8. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, used in combination with exercise.

9. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is a food composition or a pharmaceutical composition.

10. 10. The composition according to claim 9, which is a food composition and is a functional food, a nutritional supplement, a food for specified health uses, or a food for the elderly.

11. A method for improving friendliness and / or empathy, comprising administering one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof.

12. Use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof for improving friendliness and / or empathy.

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