Omega-3 Supplementation and the Neural Correlates of Negative Affect and Impulsivity: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Midlife Adults

Abstract

Objective In clinical trials, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation improves symptoms in psychiatric disorders involving dysregulated mood and impulse control, yet it is unclear whether in healthy adults omega-3 fatty acid supplementation affects mood, impulse control and the brain systems supporting these processes. Accordingly, this study tested the hypotheses that eciosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid supplementation reduces negative affect and impulsive behaviors in healthy adults and that these changes correspond to alterations in corticolimbic and corticostriatal brain systems which support affective and impulsive processes. Methods Healthy volunteers (N = 272) consuming 300 mg/day or less of EPA and DHA were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial. Participants received either capsules providing 1000 mg of EPA and 400 mg of DHA versus identical appearing soybean oil capsules per day for 18 weeks. Negative affect and impulsivity were measured by questionnaire and ecological momentary assessment (EMA), as well as functional alterations in corticolimbic and corticostriatal brain systems evoked by standardized fMRI tasks. Results There were no group-by-time interactions for any questionnaire or EMA measures of mood and impulsivity. Likewise, no group-by-time interactions were observed for fMRI responses evoked within corticolimbic and corticostriatal systems. Conclusions In healthy adults with low intake of omega-3 fatty acids, moderate-dose supplementation for 18 weeks did not alter affect or impulsive behaviors, nor alter corticolimbic and corticostriatal brain functionality. Trial Registration Trial number NCT00663871, URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00663871?term=NCT00663871&rank=1

Phenotypic heterogeneity of obesity‐related brain vulnerability: one‐size interventions will not fit all

“…97 Dietary intervention studies have demonstrated changes in blood oxygen leveldependent (BOLD) signal in response to a working memory and executive function, though not affective and reward-based challenges measured through functional MRI (fMRI) following supplementation of -3 PUFA. [98][99][100] Finally, while dietary modification is a promising strategy for building up brain reserve and resilience, the challenges of assessing nutrition must also be acknowledged. The inherent limitation to most forms of dietary assessments is that they are self-reported and largely dependent on participant motivation and memory, as well as perception of intake and portion size.…”

The effects of omega-3 fatty acids on neuropsychological functioning and brain morphology in mid-life adults: a randomized clinical trial

“…basal ganglia) brain systems, which are thought to support affective and impulsive processes, as well as neurocognitive functions, such as memory. Complementing the present findings on brain tissue morphology in these systems, no effects of supplementation on activation patterns were observed (Ginty et al ., 2017).…”

“…Of these participants, 125 completed a brain imaging protocol, with complete structural brain imaging data available for 122 ( n = 62 placebo; n = 60 control). This exploratory clinical trial was designed to test whether supplemented dietary intake of EPA and DHA in healthy mid-life adults affects mediators of chronic disease, mood or impulsivity (Muldoon et al ., 2016), (Ginty et al ., 2017). The current report presents secondary findings related to neuropsychological function and brain morphology.…”

“…At the level of the brain, prior cross-sectional and dietary self-report evidence suggests that reduced dietary intake of LCn-3FAs relates to a reduced brain tissue volume, particularly in subcortical (basal ganglia and limbic) regions of the forebrain serving diverse neurobehavioral and cognitive functions (Conklin et al ., 2007). Intervention evidence bearing on LCn-3FAs and brain outcomes, however, is mixed (Puri et al ., 2001; McNamara et al ., 2010; Bauer et al ., 2014; Bos et al ., 2016; Ginty et al ., 2017).…”

Effects of Omega 3 Fatty Acids on Main Dimensions of Psychopathology

“…There is cross-sectional evidence that deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with hostility, aggressive behaviors, and impulsivity in both psychiatric and non-psychiatric populations [ 135 ]. The relationship between omega-3 PUFAs and aggression have also been explored in rodent studies, that have found an increase of aggressive behaviors with both omega-3 PUFAs deficiency [ 136 ] and high-omega-6 PUFAs intake [ 137 ].…”