A placebo-controlled cross-over trial of adjunctive EPA in OCD

Fux, Mendel; Benjamin, Jonathan; Nemets, Boris

doi:10.1016/s0022-3956(03)00077-3

Cited by 83 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Individuals were supplemented with 2 g EPA·day -1 or placebo for 6 weeks. Scores on the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale decreased in both groups [257].…”

Section: Other Disordersmentioning

confidence: 85%

Omega-3 fatty acids and neuropsychiatric disorders

2005

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-Epidemiological evidence suggests that dietary consumption of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), commonly found in fish or fish oil, may modify the risk for certain neuropsychiatric disorders. As evidence, decreased blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with several neuropsychiatric conditions, including Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder, Alzheimer's Disease, Schizophrenia and Depression. Supplementation studies, using individual or combination omega-3 fatty acids, suggest the possibility for decreased symptoms associated with some of these conditions. Thus far, however, the benefits of supplementation, in terms of decreasing disease risk and/or aiding in symptom management, are not clear and more research is needed. The reasons for blood fatty acid alterations in these disorders are not known, nor are the potential mechanisms by which omega-3 fatty acids may function in normal neuronal activity and neuropsychiatric disease prevention and/or treatment. It is clear, however, that DHA is the predominant n-3 fatty acid found in the brain and that EPA plays an important role as an anti-inflammatory precursor. Both DHA and EPA can be linked with many aspects of neural function, including neurotransmission, membrane fluidity, ion channel and enzyme regulation and gene expression. This review summarizes the knowledge in terms of dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and metabolism, as well as evidence pointing to potential mechanisms of omega-3 fatty acids in normal brain functioning, development of neuropsychiatric disorders and efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in terms of symptom management.

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“…Individuals were supplemented with 2 g EPA·day -1 or placebo for 6 weeks. Scores on the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale decreased in both groups [257].…”

Section: Other Disordersmentioning

confidence: 85%

Omega-3 fatty acids and neuropsychiatric disorders

2005

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“…Furthermore, their data suggest the existence of a relationship between the degree of n-3 PUFA deficiency and the severity of the anxiety disorder. Fux et al (2004), on the other hand found EPA to be ineffective in a preliminary study of 11 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Preclinical studies have shown that the administration of EPA decrease anxiety-like behaviors in rodents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between increases in plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids following supplementation and decreases in anger and anxiety in substance abusers

Buydens‐Branchey

Branchey

Hibbeln

2008

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry

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Objective-Mounting evidence indicates that low levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play a role in the pathophysiology of a large number of psychiatric disorders. In light of the suboptimal n-3 PUFAs intake due to poor dietary habits among substance abusers and the strong associations between aggression, anxiety and substance use disorders we examined if insurance of adequate intakes of n-3 PUFAs with supplementation would decrease their anger and anxiety scores.Method-Substance abusers (n=22) were assigned to either 3 g of n-3 PUFAs, mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or soybean oil in identically looking capsules. The trial was double-blind, randomized and lasted 3 months. Anger and anxiety scales were administered at baseline and once a month thereafter. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the trial.Results-Patients' dietary intakes of n-3 PUFAs fell below recommended levels. Assignment to n-3 PUFA treatment was accompanied by significant decreases in anger and anxiety scores compared to placebo assignment. These changes were associated with increases in plasma levels of both EPA and DHA but an increase in EPA was more robustly correlated with low end-of-trial anxiety scores and an increase in DHA was more robustly correlated with low end-of-trial anger scores.Conclusion-These pilot data indicate that ensuring adequate n-3 PUFA intake via supplementation benefits substance abusers by reducing their anger and anxiety levels. The strong correlations between an increase in plasma EPA and lower anxiety scores and between an increase in plasma DHA and lower anger scores suggests a need for the further exploration of the differential responses to these two n-3 PUFAs in different psychiatric conditions.

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“…For severe clinical anxiety disorders, O3 supplementation may not have much impact. Obsessive-compulsive disorder was not affected by O3 supplementation (Fux et al 2004). Findings for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are mixed: one study reported that O3 supplementation worsened symptoms in 5 of 6 participants (Zeev et al 2005) whereas another study of 11 adults reported that O3 supplementation may have had a protective effect in reducing risk of PTSD (Matsuoka et al 2010).…”

Section: Treatment Of Anxietymentioning

confidence: 99%

Omega-3 Supplementation for Psychotic Mania and Comorbid Anxiety in Children

Vesco

Lehmann

Gracious

et al. 2015

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology

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Objectives: Therapeutic benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (O3) for mood disorders, psychosis, and anxiety have been reported in the literature. The purpose of the present article is to provide a literature review of O3 supplementation for affective disorders and to illustrate the benefits of O3 with a case presentation of a young girl with a history of bipolar disorder-type 1 with psychotic features and generalized anxiety disorder. Methods: Reviewed literature includes treatment studies of the impact of O3 on child mood disorders supplemented by review of meta-analyses within the adult mood disorders literature. The subject of this case report participated in 11 in-depth diagnostic and functional assessments over 5 years as part of an unrelated study. Three years were presupplementation and 2 years were with supplementation with no other medication changes, thus making a naturalistic multiple-baseline singlesubject experiment. Results: Augmentation over a 2 year period was notable for clinically significant and sustained improvement in depressive, manic, and psychotic symptoms. Conclusion: O3 supplementation may be a safe, adjunct intervention for treating bipolar disorder in children and adolescents, even in the presence of psychotic and anxious features. The 2 year follow-up in this case offers hope of an accumulating and enduring benefit. Further research into mechanisms of O3 action and of combination treatment with other well-known interventions for mood disorders would be beneficial.

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A placebo-controlled cross-over trial of adjunctive EPA in OCD

Cited by 83 publications

References 17 publications

Omega-3 fatty acids and neuropsychiatric disorders

Omega-3 fatty acids and neuropsychiatric disorders

Associations between increases in plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids following supplementation and decreases in anger and anxiety in substance abusers

Omega-3 Supplementation for Psychotic Mania and Comorbid Anxiety in Children

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