Polyunsaturated fatty acids and recurrent mood disorders: Phenomenology, mechanisms, and clinical application

Abstract

A body of evidence has implicated dietary deficiency in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in the pathophysiology and etiology of recurrent mood disorders including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder. Cross-national and cross-sectional evidence suggests that greater habitual intake of n-3 PUFA is associated with reduced risk for developing mood symptoms. Meta-analyses provide strong evidence that patients with mood disorders exhibit low blood n-3 PUFA levels which are associated with increased risk for the initial development of mood symptoms in response to inflammation. While the etiology of this n-3 PUFA deficit may be multifactorial, n-3 PUFA supplementation is sufficient to correct this deficit and may also have antidepressant effects. Rodent studies suggest that n-3 PUFA deficiency during perinatal development can recapitulate key neuropathological, neurochemical, and behavioral features associated with mood disorders. Clinical neuroimaging studies suggest that low n-3 PUFA biostatus is associated with abnormalities in cortical structure and function also observed in mood disorders. Collectively, these findings implicate dietary n-3 PUFA insufficiency, particularly during development, in the pathophysiology of mood dysregulation, and support implementation of routine screening for and treatment of n-3 PUFA deficiency in patients with mood disorders.

The Role of Dietary Supplements in Depression and Anxiety – A Narrative Review

“…The PUFA group showed a stronger decline in inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein). Messarmore et al [55] performed a review on PUFA in bipolar disorder and suggested a possible relationship with pathophysiology and pathoetiology [55]. Further reviews also displayed a positive effect on depression [56,57].…”

“…As a natural source of PUFA, fish oil, combined with a Mediterranean diet, also had a positive effect on depression [60]. Administration of supplements like DHA, PUFA, and fish oil showed a positive effect therapeutical approach, inflammatory factors, pathophysiology, and pathoetiology of depression [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60].…”

From peroxisomal disorders to common neurodegenerative diseases – the role of ether phospholipids in the nervous system

“…Based on the available data, the DHA depletion in ether lipid‐deficient brains is relatively modest and has arguably less drastic effects than complete deprivation of DHA (or all ω‐3 PUFAs; reviewed in ref. ), as described in many studies investigating the biological relevance of DHA. However, a moderate global DHA deficit and the loss of DHA‐containing plasmalogens as a source of substrates for plasmalogen‐specific phospholipase A2 may be additional puzzle pieces that modulate the pathogenic events under conditions of complete or partial ether lipid deficiency in the nervous system.…”

Lipids and mental disorders: Evidence, uncertainties and perspectives

“…46 Μελέτες χορήγησης ω-3-PUFA έχουν δείξει θετικά αποτελέσματα. 47 Σε ασθενείς με διπολική ή καταθλιπτική διαταραχή διαπιστώθηκε σημαντική μείωση της συχνότητας υποτροπών και βελτίωση των καταθλιπτικών συμπτωμάτων, αλλά όχι των συμπτωμάτων μανίας. 48,49 Άλλη μελέτη υποστηρίζει ότι η χορήγηση ω-3-PUFA ωφελεί κυρίως εκείνους τους ασθενείς με κατάθλιψη που εμφανίζουν υψηλά επίπεδα φλεγμονής.…”