Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels and dysregulations in biological stress systems

Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) consist of e.g. α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and are primarily found in fatty fish, along with some other seafood, and certain nuts and seeds (Simopoulos, 1999). N-3 PUFAs have anti-inflammatory properties and are suggested to positively influence brain functi oning (Smith et al., 2011). Low levels of n-3 PUFAs are observed in patients with several somatic or mental disorders, and accordingly several intervention studies have found a beneficial effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation on, for example, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, inflamma tory diseases, and neurological/neuropsychiatric disorders (Yashodhara et al., 2009), although this is not consistent in all studies (Kromhout et al., 2010; Rizos and Elisaf, 2017; Zhang et al., 2016).

Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - July 9, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Carisha S. Thesing, Mariska Bot, Yuri Milaneschi, Erik J. Giltay, Brenda W.J.H. Penninx Source Type: research