Compositions comprising one or more unsaturated fatty acids and one or morenit.pi.c oxide releasing compounds,and methods for using such compositions for enhancing cognitive function,reducing or preventing a decline of social interaction,reducing or preventing age-related behavioral changes, increasing trainabihty,maintaining optimal brain function, facilitating learningand memory, reducing memory loss, retarding brain aging, preventing ortreating strokes, and preventing or treating dementiain an animal Preferably, the compositions are food compositions useful forenhancing cognitive function in humans and companionanimals.