02.02.10
Long-chain omega 3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of developing psychotic disorders, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
The use of antipsychotic medication for the prevention of psychotic disorders has been controversial. The objective of this randomized, placebo-controlled study was to determine whether omega 3 PUFAs reduce the rate of progression to first-episode psychotic disorder in adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 25 years with subthreshold psychosis.
The study involved 81 individuals at ultra-high risk of psychotic disorder. Between 2004 and 2007, a 12-week intervention period of 1.2 grams/day omega 3s or placebo was followed by a 40-week monitoring period; the total study period was 12 months.
The primary outcome measure was transition to psychotic disorder. Secondary outcomes included symptomatic and functional changes. The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in erythrocytes was used to index pre-treatment vs. post-treatment fatty acid composition.
Seventy-six of 81 participants (93.8%) completed the intervention. By study's end (12 months), 2 of 41 individuals (4.9%) in the omega 3 group and 11 of 40 (27.5%) in the placebo group had transitioned to psychotic disorder. The difference between the groups in the cumulative risk of progression to full-threshold psychosis was 22.6%. Omega 3s also significantly reduced positive symptoms, negative symptoms and general symptoms, and improved functioning compared with placebo. The incidence of adverse effects did not differ between the treatment groups.
Researchers concluded that long-chain omega 3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of progression to psychotic disorder and may offer a safe and efficacious strategy for indicated prevention in young people with subthreshold psychotic states.